The other Cohen
by Bookjunkie-22
Summary: A different take on The O.C. Ch. 23 & 24 up ON HIATUS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer- I don't own anything except Casey. 

Ryan Atwood entered the Cohen home, he had, had an interesting conversation with the neighbor girl the night before. She was pretty, but he wasn't staying and she wasn't interested anyway. As Ryan contemplated this he walked into what he guessed was their living room. A kid about his age was playing video games, "Oh hi. You wanna play?"  
Ryan shrugged, "Sure."

A while later the boys are comfortably eating breakfast while playing."Oh, looks like someone's trying to be a hero but you got a little cocky. X O, X O it's an unbeatable combination. Oh, oh, ... OH! What happened to your head, dude? Where did it go? I'm sorry did someone die? Oh, hey, do you want to play Grand Theft Auto? It's pretty cool, you can like, steal cars ... ," Seth pauses as he realizes what he's said, "Not that that's cool. Or uncool, I don't know, um..."  
"Jeez Seth." A girl with long curly black hair walked into the room, "Breathe."  
Seth sighed, "Casey this is Ryan, Ryan this is my twin sister Casey."  
Ryan nodded in direction, "What's up?"  
"Nothing." she said flopping on the couch behind them, "Why are you guys playing this game? It's soo lame."  
"Shut up Casey."  
"Make me."  
Seth rolled his eyes.  
"Oh I see you've all met." Sandy said entering with the groceries.  
"Did you lose a bet with mom?" Casey asked, off Sandy's blank look she added, "You never go shopping, you hate when the Newpsies corner you in the aisle and ask questions about work, and us, and mom."  
"No, I didn't lose a bet with your mother." Sandy said, "anyway, what are you doing inside on this beautiful day? Why don't you show Ryan around?"  
"Yeah dad cause there's so much to do around here." Seth said while Casey laughed.  
"What do you want to do?" Casey directed at Ryan.  
"I don't know what do you guys do?" he asked.  
Casey and Seth exchanged glances.

Casey, Seth, and Ryan are on a catamaran on the water. It has a rainbow colored sail and the name "Summer Breeze" is on the side. Seth pulls ropes to adjust the sails with familiarity. Ryan looks somewhat confused. Sometime later they have the boat stopped, floating in the water, and are sitting, talking."I have, um, this plan. Well, I don't-I don't know you'd think but um, next July the trade winds shift west, I want to sail to Tahiti. I can do it in forty-four days, maybe even forty-two." Seth said.  
"Wow man that sounds cool."  
"It better be cool he's been planning his escape from here since he was 5." Casey piped up from where she was sunbathing.  
"Yeah. Just hit the high seas and catch fish right off the side of the boat. Grill them right there. Just total quiet. Solitude." he said ignoring his sister.  
"You won't get lonely?" Ryan questioned.  
"Well, I'll have Summer with me."  
"You're going to take this to Tahiti?"  
"No, Summer is the girl the boats named after." Seth explained.  
"Oh she must be pretty stoked."  
"Ha!" Casey said, "He's never even said two words to her, he's been in love with her since what was it? 2nd grade."  
Seth nods silently, Casey sympathetically pats his head.

When they dock, Sandy is already waiting, "You guys we gotta get home and get ready for the fashoin show."  
"Yeah you have fun with that." Casey said helping Seth tie the boat up."Come on. It's a whole new school year." Sandy said.  
"It's also the same kids, Dad. Why do they even need a fashion show? Everyday's a fashion show for these people." Seth said.  
"Yeah well Ryan has to go Marissa invited him."  
Casey and Seth stare at him, "I've lived next door to Marissa Cooper my whole life her dad almost married our mom and we've never even been invited to a birthday party." Seth said.  
"That is not true. They did not almost get married." Sandy said.  
Casey makes a dismissive, "Eh."  
"Hey, maybe Summer'll be there." Ryan said.  
"That's interesting. She IS Marissa's best friend." he pauses then looks up at his dad, "Seven?"  
Sandy nodded.  
"Yeah well I'm not going."  
"Jake will probably be there." Seth said.  
"Jake? You mean Jake Cooper that loser?"  
"Whose Jake Cooper?" Ryan asked, after Sandy scolded Casey for calling him a loser.  
"Marissa's cousin. He lives with them and is like always hanging out with Marissa and Summer. He's a total ass-hat." Casey said.  
"That may be but you totally like him." Seth said.  
"Eww! Seth! That's gross!" Casey said swatting him.  
"Look we're all going and that's final." 

As Marissa Cooper watched the three Cohens and their cousin(?) walk up the driveway, her cousin snuck up on her causing her to jump."Jake." she breathed.  
"You ready yet? Summer and Luke will be here any minute." he said.  
"Yeah."  
"Why are you Cohen watching?"  
"I'm not."  
"Right." he said not convinced.  
"Please you are the one who watches when little miss I'm too good to have a normal conversation with other people a.k.a Casey Cohen goes for a dip in her pool." Marissa accused.  
"Sht up." Jake said quickly leaving.  
Marissa smiled then looked out the window again.

Casey walked into the pool house in time to see Ryan pull his suit jacket on.  
"Tie?" she asked.  
"I'm not gonna wear one. You know open collar is a good look for me." he said.  
She smirked and picked up his tie, "Dad couldn't tie a tie till he was 35."

As they entered a waiter offered Ryan some sort of food he had no idea what animal it came from, let alone what part so he declined, "Welcome to the dark side." Seth grinned.  
Casey leads them away to a corner where no Newpsies have invaded and they can just watch without being seen.  
"Look theres Summer right over there." Seth points excitedly. "No don't look. Look but don't look like your looking."  
"Stop pointing then maybe we won't draw attention to ourselves." Casey muttered sarcastically.  
She also notes that Jake is with Marissa and Summer.

"Whose that?" Summer asked.  
"I don't know, the cousin, the pool boy…" Marissa trailed off.  
"Well, I'm going to find out." she said getting up.

Sandy walked up to them and pointed rather obviously, "Is that Summer?"  
Seth got embarrassed and nervous so he mumbled, "You know, I'm, going to go, uh, sit."  
"Way to salt his game Mr. Cohen." Ryan said following Seth. Casey giggled and followed the boys.

Marissa walked up to the microphone, "Thank you, thank you. Thank you all so much for coming. Every year we put on a fashion show to raise money for the battered woman's shelter. It's such a good cause, you guys and we couldn't do any of it without your support and the support of Fashion Island and all their great stores. All right, enjoy the show!" The first model out is Summer.  
"She has Tahiti written all over her, bro." Casey said patting his shoulder.  
Marissa walked down the runway. Luke clapped for her but she looked only at Ryan who looked back at her. Luke noticed that and turns to someone sitting beside and said something to them looking angry.  
"Dude she totally undressed you with her eyes!" Casey said laughing.

As Ryan exited the bathroom Summer grabbed his arm, and said giggly "Hey. Where you going? My friend Holly, no, well her parents, are letting us use their beach house, as a gift. You know, cause of all our hard work we did for charity. If you need a ride... or... anything, I'm Summer."  
Summer ran over to a jeep that's packed with girls, and hopped in.  
"Hey you ready?" Casey asked as she and Seth walked up.  
"We should, uh, go to that party, at that girl Holly's place." Ryan said.  
"Uh, yeah, no, it's all right." Casey said.  
"Summer invited me."  
"Really? She did? " Seth asked excitedly then his expression fell. "Us, uh, she asked for you actually." Ryan covered.  
"Really? She did?"Casey asked not convinced.  
They looked over and the girls, standing out the top of the packed, topless jeep whoop.  
"Come on!" Summer called.  
"That makes absolutely no sense but yes, we should go," Casey looked like she was gonna protest but Seth added, "If it's lame we can bail."  
As the three climb into the jeep Casey groaned noticing the only free seat was next to Jake Cooper.

Please review. Should I continue or what? I know it follows close to the pilot but I needed to structure it before I branch out to my own little storylines.  
-Em


	2. Chapter 2

Seth chattered on to Ryan while Casey rolled her eyes."Casey? Right?" Jake asked.  
She looked at him then nodded, "Yep, and your Jake Cooper, no need to tell me, we've been neighbors for about 12 years."  
"Yeah, I guess." he said.  
Casey turned to Seth and Ryan, "If one of us wants to bail we all do, got it?"  
Ryan nodded.  
"So parties not your thing?" Jake asked.  
Casey shook her head, "Nope."  
"So what is your thing"  
"Why do you care?" she asked point blank.  
He looked taken aback, "Just making small talk."  
"Well, don't bother ok? Like I said we've been neighbors for 12 years you never made an effort, to me or my brother. The only reason I'm going to this thing is to keep Seth and Ryan out of trouble"  
"Hey!" Seth said having heard his sister. "I'm not gonna get in trouble."  
Casey scoffed. Ryan shrugged as if to say 'she's probly right.' 

Casey wandered around the house, thinking how lame it was. Not the house, that was nice and all, it was the whole party thing, that she found lame. Like how Summer continued to hit on Ryan, until he found out he was from Chino, then she was repulsed. She knew Marissa liked Ryan, that was a given. Plus Jake Cooper wouldn't stop looking at her. Oh sure he attempted to be stealthy about it but she caught him every time.

Seth walked aimlessly around the beach. The girl of his dreams was hitting on, what he thought of as his best friend. "I'm pathetic." he mumbled to himself, "And a little drunk."  
"Join the club." A familiar voice said from the porch."Summer?" Seth said, not trusting his judgment, after all this was the first time he ever got drunk.  
"Sonny Cancan?" she asked drunkenly.  
"Seth Cohen, but you can call me whatever you want."  
"Want some?" she asked holding up the bottle of vodka she had swapped.Seth nodded and she handed him the bottle.  
"You know, I like you Sam Comen." Summer said.  
"I love you Summer Roberts." Seth said before downing more vadka and gagging a bit.  
"Your so cute." Summer giggled fluffing his hair with her hand. 

While Seth was in heaven with Summer on the back porch, and Casey was in hell with Jake inside, Ryan was sipping a coke on the front porch, with none other than Marissa Cooper."So you really did steal a car?" she asked.  
"Well, my brother did. I was just the passenger."  
"And you still got busted?"  
Ryan shrugged.  
"Marissa?" Luke called, walking up with his friends.  
"Oh Luke hey, this is Ryan, he's staying with the Cohen's. Ryan this is Luke my-"  
"Her boyfriend."  
"Nice to meet you." Ryan said a bit crestfallen.

"So Stanley? How long have you lived in Newport?"  
"My whole life." Seth answered now completely hammered.  
"Realy? I never saw you." Summer said.  
"Yeah but I saw you. This one time you were in Marissa's pool when I was up in my parents room and a baby bird fell out of a tree and you were the only one around caus Marissa was inside and you ran over to it and you were crying, and telling it that it had to be okay, and all of a sudden it started to flap its wings, you put it down and it flew away."  
Summer looked at him, "I remember that bird." She then launched herself onto him kissing him.

"So are you just gonna watch me all night?" Casey asked sneaking up on Jake.  
"I wasn't watching you." He said.  
She scoffed, "Please, I'm not an idiot."  
He offered her a soda, which she took.

"Marissa I think we should go." Luke said.  
"Um, okay let me grab my purse then we can round up Summer and Jake."  
As Marissa walked inside, Luke bent down to Ryan, and said softly, "Stay away from my girlfriend."  
"What?"  
"You heard me."  
Marissa walked back out with her purse clutched in one hand and Jake and Casey following.  
"Hey." Casey said to Ryan, sitting down.  
"Hey Ryan, Welcome to the O.C." Luke said following Marissa and Jake in search of Summer, then he added silently, "Bitch."  
"Wow, sounds like you had fun." Casey said.  
Ryan nodded, "Wheres Seth?"  
Casey shrugged.

"Wow are we making out?" Seth asked. Summer nodded kissing him again, "Seth Cohen!" Casey exclaimed smacking his head.  
"Ow! Case? Guess what? I'm drunk! And I just made out with Summer Roberts!"  
Summer sat up, and giggled.  
"Summer?" Marissa called.  
"Seth get up we gotta go before they get over here. The water polo guys will kick your ass. Get up." Casey said grabbing his arm while Ryan balanced them.

They managed to make their escape, and ended up in the pool house a half hour later. Seth fell into a drunken slumber on a chair, Casey curled up on the couch while Ryan laid on the bed, and switched on the tv. They to fell asleep soundly, that is until the next morning when Kirsten came in yelling."Up! All of you!"  
Seth groaned, Ryan cringed and Casey stayed in bed like nothing was going on.  
"Seth Ezekiel! Casey Elizabeth! And Ryan Anthony! In the kitchen!" she yelled then stormed out.  
"How does she know my middle name?" Ryan asked.  
"She knows everything." Casey mumbled getting up.  
"Hi mommy." Seth said putting on his 'I'm sorry' face.  
"I'm hungry, we got any salt bagels?" Casey asked, while Ryan remained silent.  
"Case sit down." Sandy instructed.  
"Wow, no time for bagels this is serious."  
"Your damn right this is serious!" Kirsten yelled. Seth stifled a groan as he grabbed his head, "Seth is hung over, the three of you camped out in the pool house."  
"Ryan lives in the pool house." Casey pointed out.  
"Ryan does not live in the pool house, he is our guest."  
"Whatever, mom, point is last night was probably the best night of Seth's life and he has Ryan to thank for it. I had fun, last night." Casey admitted.Sandy gasped. "Oh shut up. It's not that unheard of." she added to her father, "Besides, its not like I've never gotten drunk before. You never notice when I'm hung over."  
"That's because you hide it better than your brother."  
"mom nothing happened last night. Seth got a bit tipsy, Ryan talked to Marissa and I hung with Jake. Come on Ry, Seth and I will help you pack up your stuff, so dad can take you back." Casey said sadness tugging at her voice.  
Ryan nodded and Seth followed, but not before grabbing some advil first. 

Please review.  
-Em


	3. Chapter 3

Casey sighed as she and Seth walked out to the pool house.  
"This bites." she mumbled leaning on the bed.  
"Last night was the best night of my life." Seth said.  
"my night didn't suck to bad either." Casey admitted, allowing herself to remember Jake for a minute.  
"Yeah? What did you do?"  
"Um...oh you know...hung out with Jake Cooper." she said passively.  
"You what?" Seth asked sitting up facing her.  
"What? It's not that big of a deal. We are neighbors and neither one of us really wanted to be at that party so, we talked for a few." she explained.  
"Okay so I made out with Summer Robert's, you and Jake Cooper undress each other with your eyes, ow!" he said as she slapped his head, "Ryan flirts with Marissa Cooper, last night ruled!"  
"Yeah and it will never be repeated again. We don't get invited to those things, remember genus boy?"  
Seth hung his head dejectedly.  
"Wanna play a game?" she asked. He shrugged, as they got up heading for the living room. 

Neither one of them was particularly into the game. When lunch arrived Kirsten brought it into the living room, expecting to have to break up a fight. But to her shock they were both just sitting there pressing random buttons like it didn't even matter. Of course she was thankful for the silence but she Was still a bit worried about them.  
"Guys why don't you go out?" she suggested.  
"Where?" Casey asked.  
"Well I'm sure you met some people at the party last night?"  
"Yeah we did, cause of Ryan. He's gone and so is our fifteen minutes of fame." Seth said.  
"Actually it was more like ten minutes of popularity." Casey corrected.  
Kirsten gave up and left the room.  
Around 3 in the afternoon the two had somehow ended up in the pool house again. "Remember in fifth grade when we had that one friend?" Seth asked., "Arnold Spelter."  
"Hey I had friends in fifth it was 7th that I joined the drama club and lost Tina, Tracy, and Teri." Casey defended laughing.  
"Yeah you and the terrible T's." Seth said.  
"Besides you had friends in Second grade."  
"Everyone has friends in second grade."  
"Not me, remember mom made me tag along with you to all your play dates."  
"That's because you had poor socialization skills."  
Like you didn't." she accused.  
"Of course I did. Still do. Difference is, I've got comedy on my side. All you have is your drama stuff. No one wants a drama head, your far too, dramatic."  
Case threw a pillow at him.  
Just then Sandy walked in, "Hey guys.  
"Hey dad, Ryan ok?" Seth asked.  
"Yeah I think so." Sandy said with a smile, "You guys really liked him didn't you?  
They both nodded.  
"Good, cause I like you guys too." Ryan said with a slight grin.  
"Did Ryan Atwood just grin?" Casey asked as she got up to hug him.  
"What happened?" Seth asked.  
"Mom split." he said.  
"Oh"  
"Her loss, our gain." Casey said excitedly.  
"That is until Monday when I bring him into child services." Sandy remarked sadly.  
"Dad!" Casey exclaimed, "That sucks, let him stay with us"  
"Case, we can't, he isn't a relative of ours and"  
Ryan interrupted him, "Casey its cool, besides we get to hang till Monday right"  
Casey looked at Seth who wore the same slightly sad expression she did, but they both turned and nodded at him anyway.

"Okay well you have your bike here, and Seth always goes everywhere on his skateboard,  
and I have my roller blades, I say we go to the diner to get lunch." Casey said, as the three of them lounged around the pool , Ryan doing laps, Seth relaxing in the hot tub and Casey getting a tan.  
Seth shrugged, "Sure we might as well."

Casey skated out of the driveway almost running strait into Jake and Marissa Cooper,  
who were about to board Summer's car.  
"Sorry... steep." she explained motioning towards her driveway.  
"No problem." Marissa said, she glanced over Casey's shoulder and saw Ryan, "What are you doing here? I thought you left"  
"Yeah well I'm back for a few days." he explained, circling around on his bike.  
"Cool." she said.  
"Coop, Jake, what are you doing?" Summer asked getting out of her car.  
"Hi Summer." Seth said eagerly.  
Summer looked at him as if remembering something, but then she shook it off and said,  
"Who are you"  
"Seth Cohen, we've met before." he said with an air of cockiness in his voice.  
"Yes you were just both drunk of your asses, so excuse us." Casey said dragging the boys away.  
"Case!" Seth exclaimed shrugging her hand off his shoulder.  
"Seth, girls like confidence not cockiness"  
"I wasn't being cocky"  
"Yeah you were dude." Ryan said.  
"Why are you on her side"  
"Cause she's right." Ryan shrugged.  
"Dude your not helping"  
"Sorry dude"  
"Okay dude alert." Casey joked grabbing onto Ryan's shoulders so his bike was towing her.  
"Okay annoying sister alert." Seth said grabbing Casey's shoulders.  
"Why am I towing both of you?" Ryan asked.  
Seth let go, "Your not"  
"Yeah your only towing me cause I'm lazy." Casey said.

The three kids laughed as they entered the diner.  
"Oh please, he so wanted to kick your ass." Casey said shoving her brother lightly.  
"Small world." a voice close by commented.  
Casey looked down to see Marissa, Summer, Jake, Luke, and a couple other water polo players, stuffed into a booth.  
"Hey Casey." Jake said.  
"Hey everyone." she said politely.  
"What are you doing here?" Luke asked in an almost demanding tone to Ryan.  
"We're gonna eat." he answered unimpressed.  
"Yeah so we're gonna got this way." Casey said pointing to the other side of the diner.  
As they turned, the three heard Luke mumble, "Whatever, that girl is such a dyke"  
No one saw it coming, it happened so fast. Seth launched himself onto the water polo player and punched him square in the jaw, realizing where he was and what he was doing he quickly jumped backwards. Ryan quickly steeped forward and blocked any punches headed in Seth's direction. Casey quickly opened the door and threw Ryan and Seth out of it, following closely behind.

"I can't believe you did that." Ryan said when they were safely hidden.  
"Yeah." Casey agreed.  
"Your my sister, I'm the only one that gets to pick on you." Seth said sheepishly tugging her hair.  
"Still, that was awesome, it like all happened in slow motion. He was like, 'dddyyykkke'  
and you were like 'raaarrrr!' jumping on him, and punching him. You could so tell Summer was impressed"  
"And that Jake wanted the next go." Ryan commented softly.  
"Don't you two start that again"  
"Don't start what?" Seth asked innocently grinning at Ryan, before the two broke out in a verse of, "Jake likes Casey, Jake likes Casey"  
"You both suck." she muttered.  
"Hey I just defended your honor"  
"And then I made sure you didn't get pulverized by the rest water polo team." Ryan added to Seth.  
"Yes, thank you for that man... so Summer looked impressed"  
Ryan and Casey groaned in unison.

Please review. There isn't any Ryan/Casey pairing going on. The three of them are gonna be best friends like Ryan and Seth are. The same goes for Summer/Jake/Marissa.  
-Em

The edit page on is flipping out on me so sorry for the punctation mistakes guys, I'll try to fix them tomorrow.


	4. Chapter 4

As the three headed up the road to the Cohen house, they noticed Marissa, Summer, Jake,  
and Luke standing in the Cooper's driveway.  
"We're over Luke! Go home." Marissa yelled.  
"Why because I called, that drama freak a dyke?" he asked.  
"Yeah, because your a jerk!" Summer yelled helping out her friend.  
Luke ignored Summer and turned to Marissa, "Look baby, I'm sorry. I just don't like it when other guys look at you, you know that"  
"Yeah well Casey isn't a guy and she certainly wasn't looking at me." Marissa said.  
"No, but her boyfriend was"  
"Ryan isn't her boyfriend." Jake said totally bored of this conversation.  
"Luke we're over ok? So just go away." Marissa said again as she turned her back on him.  
Luke had no choice but to walk away.  
"It's like the end of an era." Seth whispered.  
Casey nodded, and they walked closer to their driveway.  
"Oh Ryan, you totally have to come sailing with us one more time before Monday"  
Casey said, which alerted the others of their presence.  
Ryan shrugged, "I've got no other plans"  
"Oh and the three of us need to have a rematch at that game we were playing yesterday"  
Seth added.  
"Please Seth I kicked your ass yesterday, and I'll undoubtably do it again tomorrow"  
"Now whose the cocky one sister dear?" Seth asked tugging at her hair again.  
"Ouch! If you tug my hair one more time!" Casey warned.  
Ryan and Seth exchanged glances then tugged on a piece of Casey's hair at the same time,  
and ran for it.  
"I'm so gonna kill you!" she shrieked chasing after them.  
"Hey your Casey Cohen right?" Summer asked as Casey neared them.  
She stopped and nodded, "Yeah and your Summer Roberts"  
"How did you know that"  
"Cause you've been my neighbors best friend since as far back as I can remember, and we go to school together. You have english with my brother." she pointed to Seth who was across the street high fiving Ryan, "I know where you sleep Sethela, you too Atwood"  
She turned back to Summer, Marissa and Jake, "This has been fun but I gotta go kick some ass." And with that she took of running. When she circled back around holding each boy by their ears, she added, "I'll see ya around"  
"Ow Casey." The boys grumbled.  
"Hey if you guys aren't busy later, we're going to the mall...?" Marissa offered.  
"Yeah sure maybe." Casey nodded.  
"We're like leaving at six, so..." Summer said.  
"Later." Seth said and winced as Casey dragged them into the house.  
"Casey? What on earth...?" Kirsten asked.  
"It's no big deal mom, just teaching the boys a lesson"  
"You know I'm a quick learner, so maybe..."Ryan almost begged.  
Casey let both of them go, and as they nursed their ears, she turned to her mother,  
"Mother of mine whom I love so much"  
Kirsten sighed, "What do you want Casey"  
"Can we go to the mall with Marissa, Jake, and Summer"  
Kirsten paused thinking about it, "Yeah I suppose that would be okay"  
"Cool thanks ma." 

"Hey you made it." Jake said, as Casey, Seth and Ryan walked out of the house ten to six.  
Casey nodded at him.  
"So the mall...hey Summer." Seth said grinning.  
"Cohen right?" she asked.  
"You can call me Seth"  
"Whatever, Cohen." she said sliding into the car next to Casey.  
"So Casey are you coming out this year?" Marissa asked.  
"Ah the debutante ball...yeah moms making me, I gotta sign up late though I guess"  
"Well my step monster has had me signed up since I was ten." Summer said.  
"Yeah well my mom signed me up when I was still in the womb." Marissa said.  
"I only just lost the argument with my mom over it." Casey explained.  
"Well I'm head deb so, Summ and I can help you out." Marissa said.  
"Yeah do you have your dress yet?" Summer asked.  
"Nope gotta get measured this week"  
"Girls are different in Newport." Ryan muttered.  
"You mean we have class and sophistication?" Marissa teased.  
"No you are all very high matnance." he teased back.  
Summer gasped jokingly.  
"I'm not high matenance." Casey said smacking him lightly.  
"Your the exception, sis." Seth said lifting a piece of her hair.  
"You tug that and I swear to god Seth." He dropped it remembering the pain from his ear.

By the time they entered the mall the six of them were laughing like they were old friends. "Please you had no idea who I was in 4th grade." Casey said to Jake who insisted they talked back then.  
"Thanks Cohen, you totally have to come to my birthday party Sunday night." Summer said to Seth.  
"But your birthday isn't till Wednesday." Off Summer's look he added, "Or so I've been told"  
"Luke and I just didn't make sense anymore." Marissa said to Ryan.  
"When did you and Luke ever make sense?" Jake asked.  
"Thanks for interrupting Jake." she said.  
"Anytime"  
"Ok I'm going to H&M." Summer announced, "Anyone wanna come"  
Seth immeadiatly raised his hand, "I'll go with you Summer"  
She eyed him, "Okay, Coop? Case"  
"Nah, I'm on my way to the bookstore, a new book by my favorite author just came out." Casey said.  
"Who?' Marissa asked.  
"Meg Cabot." Seth answered, "She reads the new book then obsesses about what did or didn't happen for weeks"  
Casey slugged him in the arm as Summer practically shrieked, "Oh my God! Me too. I mean how hot is Jesse from the Mediator? And Paul is like so EW"  
Case laughed and nodded, "Totally. The last one just came out this week"  
"Oh pick me up a copy?" Summer asked fishing out her wallet.  
"Sure"  
"Okay come on Cohen, you have to tell me what color makes me look fat and which shoes make my ankles look slim." Summer said draging Seth away. As Summer tugged him away he gave Ryan a quick glance and Ryan gave him a thumbs up.  
Casey laughed, "You are a total good luck charm you know that right?" she added as she threw her arm around his shoulder.  
"I was begining to suspect." he added with a laugh.  
"So other than the book store for Casey, you guys wanna go anywhere?" Marissa asked.  
Ryan shook his head, Casey said, "Nope, what about you Jakey?" she tossed her other arm around his shoulder letting go of Ryan.  
"Um well I did wanna go to the food court to scope out some chicks." he joked.  
Casey swatted at him and said, "You have hot chicks right here"  
"Ew, thats my cousin." he said laughing.  
"I didn't mean Marissa, I meant Summer and myself"  
"Well I guess Summ is pretty hot, and your...okay." he said still teasing.  
"Okay Ryan take me away from him before I hurt him." Casey said.  
Ryan pulled her off of Jake and she hopped on his back, "To the bookstore."

Okay please review. I'm gonna do a deb chapter, but it's not gonna be exactly like the show but it will include Anna, (Unfortunately). I'm probably gonna still have Jimmy get punched out by Holly's dad.  
-Em

The edit page on is flipping out on me so sorry for the punctation mistakes guys, I'll try to fix them tomorrow.


	5. Chapter 5

The six teens entered the Cohen household that evening.  
"Mom? Yo! Dad?" Casey called.  
"We're in the den." Sandy said.  
"Yo daddy." Casey said flopping on the couch next to him.  
"Ma, dad, this is Summer and you know Jake and Marissa." Seth said.  
"Yes hello kids." Kirsten said.  
"You have fun chillin at the mall?" Sandy asked.  
Casey and Seth groaned in unison, "Dad!"  
Marissa and Summer laughed.  
"Uh Ryan can we talk?" Kirsten asked.  
"Uh yeah sure." he said, Kirsten led him out to the pool house.  
"What was that about?" Seth asked.  
"My lips are sealed." Sandy replied.  
"Guys sit down make yourselves at home, I'm gonna go get something in the kitchen, Seth?" Casey said.  
"Yeah wait up."

"So um Ryan, How do you like Newport?"  
He shrugged, "It's cool. I like hanging out with Casey and Seth, back home Trey was more like...the popular kid that you wanted to think you were cool...but he wasn't a brother. You have a really nice family."  
She grinned, "Thank you, I'm sure you do too."  
He kinda averted his eyes.  
"Ryan...do you want us to find your mom?"  
"What? My mom took off. No ones gonna find her, she left me, and I can't forgive her for that."  
"Do you...do you want to stay here?"  
"Like really? Not just temporary?"  
"Would you like Sandy and I to adopt you? Formally and everything? Be your legal guardians, Seth and Casey to be your brother and sister?"  
"I'm not dreaming am I?"  
She shook her head, "You bring out a side in my kids, last week they barely left the house, they barely spoke to each other without argueing and now look at them."  
"They still argue." Ryan commented.  
Kirsten laughed, "You are a great kid Ryan, I've been around you less than a week and I can see it. So take as much time as you need to think it over, if you want to be a Cohen."  
"I don't have to change my last name do I?"  
"Nope."  
He smiled, "Then yeah."  
"Yes!" Casey screamed as she and Seth jumped into the pool house.  
"This is awsome!" Seth said excited.  
Casey hugged him squealing then hugged her mother, "You are the best mother ever!"  
"Dude we're like brothers."  
"Not yet." Kirsten said.  
"Mom, Ryan has been a part of this family since he walked through that door." Casey said as they made their way back to the living room, "Dad! You rule!"  
"I know." Sandy said, "So what did you need from the kitchen?"  
Seth coughed as Casey mumbled, "The thing...with that thing, and the other- Hey Jake, Marissa, Summer, why don't we go hang out upsairs. Bye mom, bye dad."  
"Nice cover." Seth said sarcastically entering Casey's room.  
"Didn't see you coming up with anything."  
"And your mom said you guys stopped fighting." Ryan said sarcastically, flopping on Casey's bed.  
"So whats going on?" Summer asked, picking up on the cheeriness.  
"Ryan is staying in Newport." Casey said, sitting next to her new 'brother'.  
"Thats cool dude." Jake said nodding to Ryan.  
"Wow what's up with the retro wear?" Summer asked going through Casey's closet.  
"Oh I go to the thrift store on Apple like every Saturday, I make alot of my own costumes for the plays I'm in, out of that stuff." Casey said.  
"Wow this is really hot." Summer said putting on a jean jacket with sparkles and plastic jewels.  
"You like it? You can have it." she said.  
"Seriously? Awsome." Summer said excitedly.  
"So have you been in any plays lately?" Marissa asked.  
"Um yeah just like two weeks ago, I was in the civic centers summer preformance of Romeo and Juliet, I was Juliet," Casey stood up and pulled out her costume, "It was kinda like a modern day production." she added holding a halter and a mini skirt.  
"You actually wore that?" Marissa asked gawking at Casey, "I've never even seen you in anything but jeans, and we've been neighbors for like what 12 years."  
Casey shrugged, "It's a role, I can dress up and be someone diffrent."  
"Go put it on." Summer urged.  
"No." Casey said.  
"Yeah." Summer said again pushing her into the bathroom, "Then we'll make you go out in public, and let all the guys see how hot we all know you are." she glanced teasingly at Jake who glared at her.  
"Hey Case, Summer is like your pimp." Seth called jokingly.  
"Seth don't say pimp." Casey called back, "And Summer I'm not dressing up like this for anything other than work."  
Summer and Marissa giggled.  
"Oh shut up you know what I meant." she added walking out of the bathroom.  
"Ha! I told you, you were hot!" Summer exclaimed.  
"uh huh, your still not getting me out in public in this thing."  
"Hello? Case you were in public in that thing. I had to sit through like two hours of you in public in that thing." Seth reminded.  
"Yeah Seth you were the only 17 year old there remeber? Everyone else was over thirty and could care less." Casey grabbed the remote for her tv and switched it on.  
"Oh my god you have the first season of the valley!" Summer exclaimed.  
"Yeah it's my favorite show." Casey said.  
"Mine too!"

Please review. Will they ever get Casey to be a girl in public? Will Marissa and ryan actually talk about what this new development means to them? Well review and find out.  
-Em


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning Summer arrived at Marissa and Jake's house early.  
"Come on guys! It's soo time to hit the beach." Summer said.  
"Hey should we see if the Cohens want to come?" Jake asked.  
The girls shrugged, "Whatever."

Kirsten answered the door, "Oh hi kids, what are you up too this early?"  
"We were heading to the beach and we wanted to know if Casey, Ryan, and Seth wanted to come with." Jake said.  
"Well, believe it or not they are all still asleep. If you want to go try to wake them, be my guest." she said stepping aside so they could come in.  
"I'll take Ryan." Marissa said.  
"I got Case." Jake said.  
"Of course you do." Summer teased, "That means I've got Cohen."

Summer didn't even bother knocking, "Cohen! Wake up."  
"Mom?"  
"Ew! I'm not old enough to be a mom. Now get up we're going to the beach."  
Seth sat up, covering his fully clothed chest with the blanket, "Summer! What are you ah what are you doing here?"  
"Waking you up, it's like nine o'clock. If we don't leave soon we'll get a bad tanning spot."  
"Your in my room."  
"Yeah."  
Seth stood up still clutching the blanket as he went into his bathroom, he quickly got dressed while Summer sat on his chair. When he exited she clapped her hands together, and said, "Great lets go."  
"That's my bed." he said.  
"Uh-huh."  
"I just wanted to let you know..."  
"Yep, I got it."

Casey was already awake and dressed when Jake walked in.  
"Yo." he said.  
"Yo? Jake your a 16 year old privaleged white male."  
Jake rolled his eyes at her flopping on her bed, "So you wanna come to the beach? Summ, Mariss and I are going."  
Casey shrugged, "I guess, give me like five minutes." she added disapearing into her bathroom.

Ryan was half awake when Marissa walked into the pool house.  
"Hey." she said as he opened his eyes.  
"Hi." he said sitting up.  
"Um do you wanna go to the beach with Summer, Jake, and I?"  
"Are Case and Seth coming?"  
Marissa nodded, "...do you like Casey?"  
Ryan shrugged, "Yeah she's cool."  
"No, I meant...do you like her?"  
"Oh...Oh! No! no way! I mean she's pretty and all but she's like about to become my sister."  
Marissa nodded ackwardly, "I um, I broke up with Luke... yesterday."  
"I know."  
"Oh, okay."'  
"...So are they waiting on us?" Ryan asked.  
"Um, probably, I'll go tell them you'll be a few minutes."'  
Ryan nodded.

"Hey!" Seth exclaimed to his sister as they all met at Summer's car.  
"What?" she asked.  
"That's my Jimmy Eat World shirt."  
"But it looks better on me. Besides who bleached my red and blue wrap?" she asked.  
"Okay before I become a member of this family tell me, do you two do anything besides argue?" Ryan asked.  
"Um...we...read comic books...play video games, go sailing...oh and when I'm really bored I help Casey run lines."  
"I don't really read comic books, I'm more about the manga." Casey said.  
Ryan looked at Casey about to say something when he suddenly realized, "Are those my shorts?"  
Casey looked at the shorts she was wearing, and nodded.  
"Wow congradulations man, your not a Cohen till Casey steals your clothes." Seth said.  
"What your like family, you can borrow any of my tank tops whenever you want." Casey said.  
"Gee thanks Case."  
"They look better on me anyway." Casey teased.  
"Can I have my sunglasses back?" Jake asked as he, Summer, and Marissa aproached.  
Summer looked at Casey, "They look better on her."  
Casey, Seth, and Ryan burst out laughing.

Newport is pretty much all beach, but you can't set your camp up just anywhere as Summer explained it to Ryan.  
"See, Coop and Jay and I like to set up our chairs within walking distance to the food carts, but not close enough that we get a whiff of the porto potties."  
Ryan nodded,"Makes sense."  
"So what do you actually do here?" Casey asked.  
"You've never been to the beach before?" Marissa asked.  
"Well, yeah but whenever i come here it's usually to go sailing with Seth."  
"You guys sail?"  
"Yeah, it's like a passion of his. I just like to go to get a tan. So tell me Hammer, whats the bigg deal with the beach?"  
"Hammer?"  
"Yeah cause your M.C." Casey said.  
Marissa laughed shaking her head, "Well, theres tanning, thats mainly what Summ and I do. Jake usually hangs with us or goes surfing."  
Casey turned to Jake, "You surf?"  
"Not very well, but I'm okay."  
"Cool." Casey said.  
"Looks like Casey and Jake really hit it off." Marissa said to Seth as Jake began to explain the fundamentals of surfing to Casey.  
Seth nodded, "Casey has always been really good at the whole talking thing, you know, knowing when to stop and not to mumble, and expecially not ramble, which is what I'm doing right now so I'm gonna stop."  
Marissa laughed, " You are so crazy." she added jokingly.  
"So... has Summer ever mentioned me before?"

"Hammer crank up the tunes." Casey said as they drove home that night. Jake had taught Casey how to ride a wave, albeit a small one but still. Seth had introduced Summer to Death Cab for Cutie, and Ryan and Marissa had ackward little chats, not leading to anything, but still very flirty.  
"So Casey, the debs are having a meetingin 2 weeks , a sort of dress rehearsal, and your name is on the list." Marissa said.  
"Yes, I'll be there, if I have to." she groaned, "But moms dragging them along too. To help out or something."  
"So whose gonna be your escort?" Jake asked sounding mildly interested.  
"I don't know, Hammer is there like a hat filled with names that I can just pick a name out of?" Casey joked.  
"Don't worry I'm in charge of that stuff, so I can make sure you don't get anyone like Andy Mc Claud."  
"Eww, I remember when Andy used to come over to our house every day cause he liked you?" Seth said pinching Casey cheek.  
"Ok dude I'm gonna kill you." Casey said.  
"Aw bringing up sad memeories about your first love sis?" Seth teased.  
"Ryan I suggest when this car stops you hold me down very hard so Seth has plenty of time to get inside, arms fully intact."  
"Casey and Andy McClaud. Mrs. Casey McClaud." Seth went on teasing his sister.  
Summer reluctantly stopped in front of the Cohen household, and Casey and Seth jumped out of the car racing around the driveway.  
Summer, Marissa, Jake, and Ryan all got out of the car laughing, as Casey tackled Seth sitting on his back, saying, "Take it back."

That last part was for all of you who really like the Casey/Seth fights. Hope you liked it, please review.  
-Em


	7. Chapter 7

"Casey, Mrs. Jenson is on the phone." Kirsten said the next morning when all the kids were  
hanging out in the pool house.  
"Hello? Oh hey Mrs. J. What? No, no, no, no, no, no ,NO! Your kidding me right?"  
Casey begged, "Yeah I understand. When's rehearsal? 'kay I'll see you there." she hung up  
the phone and groaned.  
"What?" Marissa asked.  
"Mrs. J is the drama director, well the teacher advisor really. See the play that I was in the  
romeo and juliet thing, this adaptation was actually written by Kevin Scwartz, and the  
student director is Missy Williams. The three of them decided to put on a performance for  
the entire junior senior class in a week."  
"School hasn't even started yet." Summer said.  
"Yep, but its required, for the junior class. They just sent a flyer out today."  
"So that means me too?" Ryan asked.  
"Probably." Casey said burying her face in a pillow.  
"Whats the matter? Your an actress right?" Jake asked.  
"Yeah, but I act at the freaking civic center for old people! Not kids in my class, what if I  
suck? I don't mind being the girl no one notices I do mind being the Juliet who forgot her  
lines and fell off the balcony."  
"Your not gonna forget your lines. You have that thing down cold." Seth said flipping  
through the channels on TV.  
Jake's cell phone rang in the midst of all this, "Hello? oh hey Alana." he glanced quickly at  
Casey who immediately looked away, " Uh hold on one second, Guys I'm gonna take this  
outside." Casey rolled her eyes and mumbled, "Whatever."  
As Jake left, Ryan turned to Marissa and asked, "Who's Alana?"  
"She's Jake's on again off again girlfriend." Casey said as if the subject bored her.  
"It looks like it might be on again, again." Summer commented.  
"Whatever, I'm way stressed, now I gotta go get my stupid costume on, and go to the  
reahersal." Casey said bitterly getting up and leaving.  
"Your sister so likes her cousin." Summer told Seth.  
"Duh." he said.

As Casey passed Jake he was just hanging up the phone.  
"Hey, Where you going?" he asked.  
"Inside, I have to go get ready, I'll see you around." she said with attitude, "Oh and for your  
information, I don't care, you can date Alana Sullivan whenever you want you don't have to  
hide in my back yard when you want to talk to her. But heres a little hint next time you have a  
girlfriend don't lead other girls on." she spit at him.  
"Whatever Casey." he muttered to her retreating form.  
Summer grabbed his arm and yanked him back into the pool house, "What did she mean  
leading her on."  
"She didn't say her." he said quickly.  
"Please this is me." Summer said.  
"I didn't lead her on."  
"Whatever." Summer said.  
About ten minutes later Casey walked back into the pool house in her outfir, complete with  
makeup.  
"All right I'll see you guys later guys, Seth keys?"  
He tossed her the keys and she waved goodbye not even glancing at Jake.  
"We should go watch her rehearse." Marissa said.  
"No way." Seth said, "I have to se that show for the 10th time next week anyway, no I gotta  
watch the rehearsal?"  
"Well I'm gonna go." Summer said.  
"I'll go too." Seth said standing to put his arm around her.  
Summer rolled her eyes at him. Ryan stood and Marissa forced Jake up.

The night before the performance. Casey has worked her ass off putting all her energy into it,  
while Jake has spent almost every night out with Alana, but he just broke it off with her for  
the final time. No one else knew yet though.  
"Romeo where the hell are you? My dads so gonna catch you!" Casey said.  
"Hold up this ladder is hard to climb." Johnny Adams said, as he started to climb the  
ladder, he slipped and fell from the fourth step landing on his ankle.  
"Oh my God." Casey said hopping down from the balcony, "Johnny?"  
"Ow my ankel!" he moaned.  
Seth, Summer, Ryan, Marissa, and Jake rushed to the stage, while Mrs. Jenson called  
the nurse.  
"Mrs J! I think he twisted it." Casey moaned.  
"Are you serious?" Johnny asked. Casey nodded, "well at least that means I don't have to  
go on stage in front of the entire senior class, yes! Good luck Case."  
"Don't make me punch you Adams!" Casey said rearing her fist back only to have it caught  
by Jake.  
"He's already injured Case, besides what about the understudy?" Ryan asked.  
"He is the understudy!" She groaned, taking deep breaths, "Mrs. J what the hell are we  
gonna do?"  
"I don't know Casey." Mrs. Jenson said just as stressed as Casey.  
"I could do it." Jake said quietly.  
"What!" Casey demanded.  
"I can memorize things like that." he said to Mrs. Jenson.  
"No way." Casey said.  
"I'm doing you a favor here Case." he said.  
"Don't do me any favors."  
"Ms. Cohen! Thats enough! Now young man if you can memorize the lines as fast as you  
say then you have the part. Now let me get your measurements and Ms. Cohen can alter  
Johnny's costume. Correct me if I'm wrong but your both neighbors right?"  
Casey nodded.  
"Good, Casey you can help him run lines."  
"But-"  
"No buts."  
"Fine. But you have to take this seriously!"  
"No duh."  
Casey sighed as the six walked out the door, "Whatever doesn't kill me." she mumbled.  
"Makes you stronger." Jake finished with a smirk, cause she apparently didn't say it low  
enough.  
'Give me strength.' she thought to herself.

please review. I might have changed my mind about the deb chapter. I know TJ is a definite.  
So tell me what you guys think.  
-Em


	8. Chapter 8

Okay I know that Casey/Jake stuff seemed a little random but, I felt like we needed more for them since we already know all about Seth, Summer, Ryan, and Marissa. Hope you guys didn't mind. Don't worry S/S and R/M goodness will come.

"No it's 'chill Jules, they won't find out.'" Ryan corrected Jake who was running lines with Caey but she was sewing at the time, so Ryan, Seth, Summer, and Marissa where reading the other parts and correcting him.  
"Ok, Chill Jules, they won't find out, marry me so we can be together forever." Jake said to Casey.  
Without even looking up she said, "But Romeo, what if we don't make it?"  
"Nothing is guarenteed in this life Juliet, but I believe in our love, if we try who knows what will happen?"  
Casey took his hand putting down his costume, "So do I." she pretended to climb down a fake balcony to Jake.  
"Oh my god." Summer exclaimed interrupting, " How the hell do you do that? Your so good."  
Casey shrugged, " I just picked it up and it stuck." She collapsed on Ryan's bed from tiredness.  
"So break?" Jake asked.  
Casey nodded, as Seth said, "You've pretty much got it down."

At four in the morning Jake, Summer, and Marissa left the pool house leaving an exausted Casey, Ryan , and a perky Seth behind.  
"Summer leaned her head on my shoulder! I'm never washing this shirt again." he exclaimed happily.  
"I can't believe I have to fake being in love with Jake Cooper in front of the entire junior/senior class in six hours."  
"Didn't look like faking to me." Ryan teased.  
"Shut up."  
"Look all I'm saying is Jake seems like he's into you." Ryan said.  
"Yeah well I could say the same about you and Marissa but I don't...oh wait yeah I just did."  
Ryan rolled his eyes, "Nothing is going on between us."  
"Uh huh." Casey said.  
"Hey do you guys think Summer likes me?"  
Ryan and Casey exchanged glances, "Oh yeah totally!"  
"Thats what I thought." Seth grinned to himself.

Casey's hands shook as she glanced out through the curtain, at all her fellow classmates. Jake walked up next to her.  
"Hey, break a leg." he said.  
"Hope you break both of yours." she replied.  
Jake sighed, "What the hell! Why are you such a bitch to me?"  
"Oh as if you don't know."  
"I don't!"  
"Alana! We were flirting all day at the beach and the next day you were making out with her again just like old times."  
"I only went out with her because you told me to go. You freaking yelled at me without letting me explain. I wanted to be with you that day."  
"Yeah well I wanted to be with you too." she mumbled a small grin appearing on her lips.  
"Okay curtain, places everyone." the student director said, pushing Casey on stage.  
"Casey!" he said, she turned back.  
"Juliet places now!"

As the play went on Summer and Marissa totally picked up on the diffrent vibe between Casey and Jake.  
"Cohen, Atwood tell me your not that blind." Summer whispered.  
"Casey is an actress." Seth said not noticing.  
"I think the girls are right man." Ryan said.

"Romeo! What happened?" Casey asked as Jake lay on the ground shot through the heart. She picked up the knife lying on the ground and held it to her own heart, "Stupid dagger, take me to be with my husband forever, like he once promised me," she stabbed herself just below the heart, and looked back at Jake, " One last kiss." she leaned and kissed him quickly on the lips, and began to pull away to die but Jake yanked her back on top of him and kissed her harder. As they kissed the student director came running to the stage yelling "No!"  
Seth, Summer, Ryan, and Marissa, laughed and whooped with the rest of the school.  
"You get her Romeo!" Summer yelled to Jake.  
Seth put his arm around Summer, while Marissa hugged Ryan laughing.  
"This isn't my ending!" the student director kept yelling while Jake and Casey went on kissing.

Okay now that that is taken care of. The deb chapter is out, next chapter Caleb comes to meet Ryan and brings along a friend while Luke attemps to repair things with Marissa by bonding with her new friends. I don't think I want to bring Anna in but I might. See how Julie reacts to her nephews new girlfriend. See Casey's relationship with Caleb. Let's not forget the possible S/S kiss... Review and see what happens.  
-Em


	9. Chapter 9

A week after the play the six teens sat in a booth at the diner. Casey and Jake happily making out. Seth and Summer sat on one side, Jake and Case in the middle, and Ryan and Marissa at the other end.  
"Okay sis, this display is probably number one on the list of things I never really wanted to see, in my life." Seth said.  
"Chill out Cohen." Summer said shoving him lightly.  
"Yeah I had to see you and Su- OW!" Casey stopped as Seth kicked her shin.  
"So what do you guys wanna do today?" Ryan asked changing the subject.  
"Um this." Jake said in between kisses.  
"Besides you two." Marissa giggled.  
"Well I'm getting a job this afternoon." Ryan said.  
"Why?" Casey asked breaking the liplock she had with Jake, who protested.  
"Cause, look I apreciate everything your parents do for me, but I can't keep taking their money." Ryan said.  
"Well if you feel like you have to, dude." Seth said.  
"Where are you thinking of working?" Summer asked.  
"I don't know anywhere I'm not really picky."  
"Marissa, hi." Luke said as he and a few of his other water polo friends came up to her.  
"Um hi, Luke." she said a little taken aback.  
"Um Casey, I saw you in the play and I thought you were really good. You too Jake, didn't know you had it in you, let me tell you Alana was pissed." Luke joked.  
Casey rolled her eyes but muttered a thanks, while Jake nodded.  
"No hard feelings Seth?" Luke asked holding out his hand, as Seth timidly shook it, "Um hey Marissa can we talk?"  
Marissa gaveRyan a quick glance before nodding and getting up to follow him out the door.  
"So Summer, you seeing anyone new?" a water polo player asked.  
Summer paused breifly glancing at Seth before, shaking her head no.

"So um I was thinking, maybe we could try and start over." he asked.  
"What?"  
"I still love you Marissa, I'm sorry I insulted Casey, I just felt insecure about them coming in and taking you away from me." he explained.  
"Luke.. I don't know." she said, "Let me think about it?"  
Luke nodded and Marissa turned to go back inside.

When Marissa returned Seth was on his cell phone, Ryan was avoiding eye contact and Casey looked white as a ghost.  
"What's going on?" She asked as Seth hung up the phone.  
"Grandpa's in town."  
"Caleb Nickol is your grandpa?" Summer asked.  
"Yes." Casey groaned, "What did mom say?"  
"Uh that we had to pick up some white lights cause grandpa hates colored lights cause they remind him of carnivals and he hates carnys." Seth read off a list.  
"Hmm note to self hang with carnys."  
"Um the caterers screwed up and put solantro on everything and grandpa hates solantro, so we have to go correct that mistake."  
"Hmm buy lots of solantro, next?"  
"Casey, I know you and grandpa butt heads...alot, but seriously."  
"Seth we don't but heads we hate each other." she said.  
"Why?" Jake asked.  
"Ah thats a long and boring tale." Casey said.  
"So?" Ryan said.  
"Okay lets see, I guess Seth and I were five when we first met him and he started calling me Cassandra, and Seth ,Seth. At first I was all 'maybe Cassandra is my name', but as I got older I realized it wasn't. Now some of you may know that our dad is jewish and our mom is catholic, and at 12 it came time for us to decide where what we ourselves wanted to practice. The strange thing was that Seth chose Judism and I chose catholism, when if you really know us you'd see that I'm more like dad and Seth is so a mamas boy. So really there is no reason why Caleb and I hate each other." Casey explained.  
"Maybe it's because neither of you have respect for the other." Seth said.  
Casey shrugged, "Could be."  
"So what was the point of that story?" Ryan asked.  
Casey thought for a minute, "I have no idea. Huh..."  
Ryan rolled his eyes while Jake laughed.  
"Well we better get going, later guys." Seth said getting up.  
"Bye babe." Jake said kissing Casey one more time.

As Seth, Casey, and Ryan arrived home that afternoon, with the promised lights, they were suprised to see their car stocked with bags and bags of food. Sandy and Kirsten were carrying it inside.  
"Why did we have to get the lights if you guys were going out?" Casey asked as she grabbed a handful of bags.  
"Your mother's worried your granpa won't love us enough if we don't feed him." Sandy said.  
"That's not true, besides we needed something to drag Casey away from that boyfriend of hers." Kirsten teased.  
"Mom!" Casey said slightly embaressed when Sandy turned to look at her.  
"Boyfriend?"  
"Oh, right I was supposed to tell him." Kirsten said, "Come on dear, lets go talk while the kids get the grocerys."  
"Did she just rope us into getting the rest of the grocerys?" Ryan asked.  
Before they could answer they heard a loud splash coming from the backyard. They all exchanged glances and went to the back.  
"Grandpa?" Seth asked.  
"Seth. Cassandra, and you must be Ryan." Caleb said stiffly.  
"Yeah its uh nice to meet you." Ryan said offering his hand.  
Without another glance to Ryan he turned to the woman in the pool, "I want you all to meet my girlfriend,Gabriel "  
"Girlfriend? She's young enough to be my mot-" Ryan covered Casey's mouth with his hand.  
"Nice to meet you." Ryan added, while Casey nodded.

As Caleb went to go talk to Sandy and Kirsten, Ryan, Seth, and Casey changed into their suits, and sat in the hot tub.  
"She's young enough to be our mother Seth!" Casey whispered.  
"is it twisted to find my potential grandma really hot? " Seth asked completely ignoring Casey.  
"Not when she looks like that." Ryan said shaking his head.  
"can I join you guys? " Gabriel asked swimming over.  
Seth and Ryan exchange glances, and immeaditatly move around saying, "Sure, yeah of course." In the process pushing Casey into the wall.  
"So what's up?" she asked.  
"Uh well...Ryan was telling Casey and I about uh...the thing..." Seth began.  
Gabriel looked expectantly at Ryan, when he says nothing she commented, "so this birthday party for Caleb it's like a who's who of Newport , should be wild huh?" Off the threes blank look, "I'm being sarcastic."  
"Oh right yeah." Seth and Ryan nodded while Casey rolled her eyes.  
"so who're you guys bringing?" she asked.  
"Oh um I would say no one." Seth said.  
"Yeah me too." Ryan added.  
Gabriel nodded in Casey's direction, "The guy who lives next door." Casey shrugged.  
"Nice. Boyfriend?"  
"As long as mom can convince dad not to kill him for making out woith his baby girl." Casey said.  
Gabriel nodded and looked back at the boys, "There are no girls you wanna bring? Two young hot guys like yourselves?"  
"Are you still being sarcastic?" Seth asked, she shook her head, "Her name is Summer."  
"And have you asked her yet?"  
"No."  
"Why not?"  
"I-its not that simple I mean ..." Seth trailed off.  
"She can't say yes if you don't ask her." Gabriel said.  
"Thats very wise Gabby." Seth nodded.  
"what about you blondie?"  
"Uh, I don't know." Ryan said.  
"You should ask Marissa." Casey said.  
"I don't think she'll want to go." he said.  
'And why not?" Gabriel asked.  
"Well with her parents fighting and stuff and she kinda has this boyfriend she might be going back to if today was any evidence of that..."  
"They've been goin out since like the 5th grade." Seth said.  
"5th grade! Ok she needs to change it up, she's known that guy since he was eating paste." Gabriel said.  
"We think he still does." Casey said.

Ryan and Casey head over to the Cooper's that afternoon.  
"You just say, do you wanna come to my adoptive families grandfathers birthday party with me?" Casey coached as she rang the doorbell.  
"Hey." Marissa said opening the door, "What's going on?"  
"Uh well...I wanted to know if you..." Ryan started, but Casey cut him off, "Oh god slit my wrists, Marissa wheres Jake?"  
"The den." she giggled.  
"Nice vote of confidence Case." Ryan called.  
"Whats going on?" Marissa asked.  
"Do you wanna come to Caleb's birthday party with me?"  
"Oh... I uh...I can't. Luke asked me this morning and I already said y-"  
"It's cool." he shrugged.  
"No Ryan wait." she called as he got on his bike.  
"No I gotta get to work, didn't I tell you? I snagged a job at the crab shack but I gotta go, can't be late." Ryan said.  
"Luke wants to get back together." Marissa said.  
"Okay, what did you say?"  
"I said I had to think about it."  
"Okay."  
"I don't know what I should do." she said getting upset.  
"I don't either."  
"I know I jus- "  
"Look if you want me too help you choose-"  
"Of course not."  
"Good."  
"Fine." Ryan took off on his bike, leaving a close to crying Marissa.

"Idiot!" Casey said from the window she and Jake were watching from, "God what is wrong with the two of them?"  
"The two of them? I think Ryan is the one with the problem. Marissa obviously wanted a sign from him." Jake said.  
"Ryan is not the problem! Marissa is the one who can't decide what she wants." Casey said getting angry now.  
"She's just broken up with like the only guy she's ever dated and now she's confused on what to do." Jake defended his cousin.  
"Yeah well Ryan shouldn't have to tell her what she should do." Casey said getting up and heading for the door.  
"Case!" he called, but it was too late she was already out the door.

Later on Casey, Seth, and Ryan are out on the boardwalk. Casey is rollerblading, Ryan is on his bike, and Seth is on his skateboard.  
"I can't believe he would put it all on you." Casey exclaimed, thoroughly pissed.  
"look I don't blame him Case, I should have said something, he's her cousin he has to stick up for her." Ryan said for the millionth time.

"Jake, I'm not mad at her, she's right, I shouldn't want Ryan to decide. She should stick up for him." Marissa said tiredly.  
" I'm just saying." Jake added.  
"No your whining." Summer said, "Oh look whose here."  
Casey, Seth, and Ryan were looking at the menu trying to decide what to order, and apparently having a good time doing so. Ryan pointed at something them titled his head and looked at Casey as if comparing it to her. She hit him in the arm. Casey made a comment to Seth and they could only just barely make oput what he said.  
"Oh yeah that's so funny Case, know what else is funny?" he asked before pushing her lightly, so she went flying off in her skates. (A.N. My friends do that to me all the time. It's not really as cruel as it sounds.)  
She almost crashed right into Summer, Marissa, and Jake's table but Jake stood and caught her quickly.  
"Thanks." she said softly while Ryan and Seth ran over.  
"I'm so sorry Case I forgot how built like a twig you are, your pretty wind resistant." Seth commented.  
"Yes as opossed to you my dear brother the rock." she said sarcastically.  
"I'm gonna go get some blbmkr. Seth, Case, Jake? Wanna help?" Summer asked pointing to the sauce stand.  
They followed leaving Ryan and Marissa alone.  
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to be so... rude this morning." Ryan said.  
Marissa shrugged, "It's my fault really. I shouldn't exspect you to help me decide."

Jake and Casey weren't speaking,Seth wouldn't shut up and Summer was looking for napkins.  
"I'm gonna carry this stuff back to your table." Casey said as Jake silently followed.  
"Eww there are no napkins, here lick it." Summer said holding her finger up to him.  
"What? No you lick it." Seth said embarressed.  
"I don't like picante, it's for Marissa."  
Seth licked her finger quickly, turning slightly pink.  
"So are you gonna invite me to your grandpa's party or not?"  
"What? Could you repeat that please?"  
"Your grandpas having this awesome party...it's-it's at your house..."  
"Wait a second, do you want me to ask you cause you wanna go with me or just cause...you wanna go," Summer gives him a look. " fair enough I'll see you at 8. "  
Summer squealed happily clapping her hands together.

"Okay let's go." Casey said firmly to the boys when Seth and Summer returned.  
"I wish you'd make up with him. You've been fighting for a couple hours and alreay you've made my life hell." Seth said as his sister forced him back towards the boardwalk.

Please review. Okay in case you guys didn't notice, because I skipped the deb stuff, Jimmy and Julie are having problems, and Julie will be asking for a divorce.  
-Em


	10. Chapter 10

"So Gabriel? How did you and Grandpa Cal meet?" Casey asked over dinner that evening.  
"Um well, we were in a grocery store and we both reached for the last philly cheese steak hot pocket, and Caleb suggested that we share it. When actually he took me out to an expensive resteraunt where he ordered me a philly cheese steak." Gabriel laughed.  
Casey raised her eyebrows at Caleb, and sarcastically said, " yeah cause cheese steaks are right up there with solantro on the list of things you like gramps."  
"Casey can I see you in the kitchen for a minute?" Kirsten asked.  
"Sure mother."  
"What are you doing?"  
"What? Caleb scammed this chick. He doesn't eat philly cheese steaks." Casey whispered.  
"I know that, and you know that, but we really don't need to tell Gabriel that." Kirsten said.  
"Why not?" Casey demanded.  
"Because your grandfather likes this woman and we have to except it. No matter how young she is." Kirsten said, taking a swig of vodka from the fridge.  
"Thats not fair I can't do that." Casey said.  
"Life isn't fair dear."  
As they entered the dining, Caleb and Seth seemed to be in a discussion.  
" oh... well if by skirts you mean girls in your outdated cowboy speak I have a little news for you it turns out that somebody has a date to your party, and if you must know Summer asked me." Seth said proudly.  
"Summer? Summer's hot." Sandy said.  
Gabriel and Ryan cracked up while Casey said, " You'll let Seth date Summer, but mom has to convince you to let me keep seeing Jake?"  
"You and Jake are fighting anyway." Seth said.  
"You guys are fighting?" Kirsten asked.  
"It's nothing mom."

Sandy and Kirsten start clearing dishes and head to talk in the kitchen.While Gabriel, Ryan, Seth, and Casey, stay in the dining room, oblivious to whatever arguement is going on in the kitchen.  
" Caleb seems to be in good spirits he just polished off his second bottle of merlot, now would be a very good time to talk to him " Sandy said.  
"Talk to me about what?" Caleb asked.  
"Nothing dad. Want some more grappa?" Kirsten said.  
" are you adopting another kid?" Caleb asked. Ryan, Seth, Gabriel, and Casey could make that part out and were debating going to the pool house.  
"... if you did you'd know she is the best thing to ever happen to that company, you'd support her not demote her to the point where she wants to quit !" Sandy exclaimed.  
"Yeah um how bout we wait till it calms down a little bit and then go?" Seth suggested.  
"is that true you wanna quit? "  
Casey got up to listen at the door for when it calmed down enough.  
"...selling this house and moving back to Berkley like we'd always planned." Sandy said.  
Casey opened her mouth in shock, mouthing to Seth.  
" you're not serious... your still smoking the weed aren't you?"  
Casey couldn't take it anymore she grabbed to plates pretending like she was just clearing the table and said, "Dad! You smoked weed?"  
" Out-now! private conversation!" Kirsten said.  
"Hey it's cool. Seth, Ryan guess whose a stoner!" she said as the four walked through the kitchen and out to the pool house.

About an hour later they are all still in the pool house. Ryan and Seth are reading. Gabriel is playing a gameboy and Casey is checking Ryan's computer for upcoming plays.  
"Uck! I hate Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep." Casey exclaimed.  
"What?" Ryan asked.  
"Some stupid play." she said waving her hand.  
"This game sucks." Gabriel exclaimed.  
"Here let me see." Seth said, " Ryan, you've been playing the pirate game...that's a little bit minty."  
"Seth you own the pirate game, that in itself is alot a bit minty." Casey said.  
"I'm gonna go get you pro-skater 3, it's good." Set hsaid ignoring his sister, "Hey we gotta go searching for dads bong later."  
Casey glanced at Gabriel who was looking at Ryan longingly.'ew." she thought to herself, 'there is no way I'm leaving them alone together.'  
"Case?" Jake asked entewring the pool house.  
"Oh this the boyfriend?" Gabriel asked.  
"Jake this is Gabriel. Gabriel this is Jake. What's up?" she asked.  
"Can we talk?" he asked.  
Casey glanced at Ryan and Gabriel, "Um now?"  
Jake looked at her strangely, "Yeah."  
"Well it's just that...I don't think now is a good time...but you could stay."  
"Look Casey, I need to talk to you alone." Jake said.  
"Case go ahead." Ryan said.  
"But...Jake-"  
"Fine forget it, I'll see you tomorrow." he said leaving.  
"Crap." she muttered, glanceing at Ryan and Gabriel once more before chasing after Jake, "Jake wait let me explain."  
"Look ,it's cool Case, we'll talk tomorrow."  
"No Jake...I gotta tell you, my granfathers girlfriend-"  
"Casey we'll talk at the party." he said opening his door.  
"But I-. Yeah okay." she said turning back to her yard.  
She saw her grandfather call Gabriel so she ducked behind a bush, and watched them go.  
Casey went back into the Pool house as Seth joined her.  
"You just hooked up with Gabriel!" Casey accused.  
"What?" Seth and Ryan asked, Ryan a little less convincing.  
"Dude you hooked up with my grandma?" Seth asked.  
"Yes." Ryan admitted.  
"Gross." Casey said while Seth said, "That's hot."  
Casey pretended to wretch while Seth asked Ryan for details.  
"What about Marissa?" Casey asked.  
"What about her?" Ryan asked.

Please review. Ryan and Marissa might get together in the next chapter, I'm not sure. I might just follow the storyline that the show actually does. I know that I want them to go to TJ, and my favorite parts of TJ was the bickering so I might just keep them apart. I know Casey and Jake will still be fighting while they go to TJ. Seth and Summer will get closer. Stil not sure about Anna. So any suggestions are welcome.  
-Em


	11. Chapter 11

Casey and Ryan were sticking close together while Seth waited near the stairs for Summer to show up.  
"Okay so heres the deal, we stick together tonight right guys?" Casey asked her brothers.  
"Yeah." Ryan nodded.  
"Okay but if summer wants to get a little freaky I'm gonna take it upstairs out of curtisy for you guys." Seth said.  
"Okay thanks Seth." Casey said rolling her eyes, "I'm not leaving you alone with grandma by the way." she added to Ryan.  
"What? Why?"  
"Because you obviously can't be trusted, I'll leave you alone for five minutes and she'll have her creepy young grandma way, with you." Casey said disgusted.  
"Now it's like she's forbidden fruit man." Seth said to Ryan.  
"Yeah let's talk about this a little louder I don't think your parents and your grandfathers guests heard you." Ryan whispered.  
"I don't think you gotta worry bout mom and dad." Casey said pointing to her parents.  
Kirsten was talking to a waiter while Sandy trailed behind, " I can't believe you still went through with this whole thing." The kids could hear Sandy say.  
"well I had no choice, even though you tried to sabotage the entire weekend."  
"Oh dads still in trouble." Seth said, as the doorbell rang, even though they were the closest to it none of the kids got up.  
"Thanks kids for answering the door." Kirsten said sarcastically.  
"We know exactly who it is, mother and we're not getting in the middle of it." Casey said.  
Sandy grabbed Casey who grabbed Ryan who grabbed Seth and forced each other to the door following Kirsten.  
"Your the meanest daddy in the whole world." Casey mumbled, as Kirsten swung the door open, "Grandpa Cal." she added with fake cheeriness.  
"Cassanda, Kiki, Seth, Ryan, Sandford, well aren't you all a very Brady family picture?" Caleb asked sarcastically.  
"Hi everyone." Gabriel said.  
"Come in dad." Kirsten said.  
As they walk over towards the foyer, the doorbell rings again.  
"Kids you wanna get that? Your father and I need to talk to your grandfather." Kirsten said.  
"I was gonna get-" Casey started.  
"Casey." Sandy said.  
"Yes sir." she said hurring with Seth and Ryan to the door.  
"Dad is in so much trouble." Seth said when Casey opened the door, to Summer, Jake, Marissa, Luke and Julie.  
"Oh hey guys." Casey said.  
"hey Summer... ah you-look yeah... uh-uh hey Marissa" Seth stuttered, Marissa reached over and hugged him, "Jake. Luke, Mrs. Cooper."  
"Oh hello Seth, Ryan, Casey." Julie said politely and then walked away to meet her friends.  
"Cohen," Luke said extending his hand to Seth, " how you doin, its good to see you."  
"It is?" Casey asked.  
"Yes it is. It's great to see you too Casey, Ryan, man how are you?"  
"Um...I'm good. Could you all excuse me I have to go over..." Ryan trailed off.  
"Ryan don't you dare." Casey whispered, while Seth whispered ,"Yeah man."  
As Ryan headed towards the drink table he glanced back and saw Luke place his hand on Marissa's cheek, while they shared a private joke. Ryan sighed as Gabriel walked by she stopped briefly and said, "Find me later."  
"I'm gonna kill him." Casey said to Seth. Seth shrugged as Summer dragged him off in a diffrent direction leaving her alone with Luke, Marissa, and Jake, "and now I'm gonna kill him." she mumbled to herself.

" I'm in private equity and portfolio management" a banker guy said to Seth and Summer, while Summer looked interested Seth looked deadly bored.

Casey and Marissa are sipping what any passerbyer would assume juice, when in reality it's grape juice with vodka, while Jake and Luke stood on oppisite sides.  
"Where the hell are Seth and Ryan?" Casey asked no one in particular.  
"Why?" Jake asked, in a voice that said he really didn't care anyway.  
Casey rolled her eyes and said, "Because we all promised to stick together tonight, and now I'm getting drunk with my what I can only assume ex-boyfriend cause we don't talk anymore apparently."  
Jake sighed, while Marissa grabbed Casey's arm, "Okay Case come on let's go find Summer and Seth. We'll be back." she added to Luke.

"Seth." Casey cried in a state of total drunkeness.  
"Hey, someones wasted." Seth said catching his sister.  
"Just a little bit, me and Marissa snuck vodka cause you and Ryan said you'd stay with me and you didn't."  
"I gotta pee, we'll meet you in the kitchen." Summer said as Seth headed to make Casey coffee.

"Oh my god Coop. This party rocks. so you chose Luke huh? I guess Atwood really didn't have a chance, you and Luke are like destined ar something." Summer said as she reapplied her makeup.  
"I don't know if we're destined." Marissa muttered.  
"Man poor casey though, she's only getting drunk cause Jake is being a total ass and not talking to her, which I guess is understandable since they are fighting but still...Anyway you and Luke though, you guys are all over each other." Summer gasps, "Did you? I mean did it happen?"  
"No!" Marissa exclaimed.  
"Coop, what more do you want? He's beautiful, sweet, totally-crazy about you...what are you waiting for?"  
"I...I don't know." Marissa said stareing at her reflection.

"Everything is so messed up Seth." Casey said.  
"What is Case?" he asked pouring her coffee.  
"Everything. Summer is dragging you around like a puppy, so you'll introduce her to rich old guys, Ryan is with our possible grandma, Marissa is with Luke who let's face it totally hates our guts but is pretending not to just so she'll like him again, and me and Jake are still not talking. Remember when it was just me and you? When was that again? A month? 2 months? Were things easier then?"  
"I don't...I dunno Casey."

" what're you doing" Gabriel asked entering the pool house.  
" nothin ." Ryan said as she leaned over to kiss him.  
Marissa pushes the door to the pool house open, "Ryan? Oh sorry... I thought...sorry." she said walking back out hurt and confused.  
"Marissa!" Ryan said, getting up and following her, but by the time he reaches her its to late, she's already in Luke's truck.  
He turns around to see Casey, crying into Seth's shoulder. Seth passes her over to him, as he goes to find Summer.  
"Hey Cohen there you are. I need you to introduce me to-"  
" ok you know what Summer ah no." Seth said.  
" what ?"  
" This whole night all you've done is use me to meet rich older guys, and I've neglected my sister, who is obviously really upset about something, and you know I have no idea what that is."  
"No I-I wasn't...okay maybe I was." she said.  
" do you have any idea how pathetic it is to sit there an listen to you babble about mergers and acquisitions while some guy just stares at your boobs ?"  
"Wait. Which guy was staring at my boobs?"  
"It doesn't matter. Listen to me the point is that that guy doesn't you, he doesn't care about who you really are. infact he has no idea that every day of 3rd grade you shared your lunch with that little skinny squirrel that kept getting his nuts stolen by that fat squirrel..."  
"I hated that squirrel..."  
" and-none of those guys were there when you had to read your poem aloud in class and your hand was shaking because you were nervous and you cared what the other kids thought ."  
"Poem? what poem?"  
"I-I wish I was a Mermaid."  
Summer smiled a bit, "You remember that poem?"  
" I--wish I was a mermaid and...was friends with all the fish, a shiny tail an sea shells I-" Seth got cut off by Summer kissing him, "I wish."  
" oh I gotta go there's that investment banker from Woodward & McDunoff...its ok I'll introduce myself, go take care of Casey." Summer said grinning at him.

Seth enters the pool house to see Casey and Ryan playing Rummy on Ryan's bed. Seth walks over and rubs Casey's arm.  
"Hey you okay?"  
Casey nodded, "Yeah. Although not as good as you. Is that? I believe it is. Seth why are you wearing Summer's shade of lipstick?"  
"And he called me minty for playing the pirate game." Ryan joked.  
"Ryan don't say minty." Seth said.

Okay so I decided what I'm doing about TJ. It's gonna be filled with tension. Drinking games will be involved. Holly will still be a whore. Marissa might still need a rescue by the end but it won't be the way it went down in the show. Oh yeah and for those of you confused, Casey isn't always an emotional drunk, just with all things going on I needed her to bring Seth and Ryan back down to earth, and forget about their girl problems, which they did , for their sister. Please Reveiw.  
-Em


	12. Chapter 12

"Come on guys! The plan is undeniable." Seth said as Casey pulled herself onto the counter, while Ryan poured himself some coffee.  
"I'm denying it." Ryan said.  
"Yeah seriously Seth." Casey said taking the cup from his hand, and taking a sip.  
"We have mom's ranger, we have a perfect alibi as Case and I go to this comic book convention every year and we also have my entire life never doing anything wrong. Which completely allows my parents to give a false sense of trust."  
"You go to comicon?" Ryan asked Casey.  
"It's something to do." she shrugged.  
Ryan shook his head and turned back to Seth, " And you want to give that all away for Summer in a wet t-shirt doing body shots."  
Seth stared off blankly, "Seth that wasn't rhetorical." Casey added.  
" On the last weekend before school, one goes to Tijuana, it is tradition, it is a right of passage, and you know what else? What happens in Mexico, stays in Mexico." Seth stressed the last Mexico.  
Ryan and Casey exchanged glances, Ryan finally asked, "What happens in Mexico?"  
" I don't know, because it stays there, that's why we must go!"  
"Seth seriously, I'm not gonna lie to mom and dad, so you can get drunk in Mexico and then throw up the whole way home."  
"Yeah man. I don't wanna lie to your parents."  
"I can respect that." Seth said as Ryan and Casey breathed a sigh of relief, "I will lie to them."  
"Why can't we just go to Comic-con?" Ryan asked.  
"Because it's the last weekend before school and I really wanna go to freaking Mexico with me best friend and my sister!" Seth whined, "Besides it's a big town, you probably won't even see Jake and Marissa."  
"I don't care about seeing Marissa." Ryan said.  
"Okay, therefore you should have no problem coming to Mexico." Seth said.  
"Hey kids. You excited about comic-con?" Sandy asked entering the kitchen, "You know it's the highlight of Seth's year."  
"Thanks dad for making me sound like a geek." Seth said.  
"Seth sweetie you are a geek." Casey said.  
"Why are you all dressed up?" Ryan asked Sandy.  
"I got a meeting with a private law firm today."  
"Another one of those lame job interviews that you only go on for the free food?" Casey asked.  
"Yes." Kirsten answered walking into the kitchen, "Casey don't sit on the counter people eat there."  
"Well they shouldn't eat. I sit here that is totally unsanitary." Casey said grabbing Ryan's shoulders and hopping down.

Jake, Marissa, and Summer were all sitting around Marissa's room.  
"I can't believe you guys actually did it!" Summer said.  
"I thought we were gonna like stop talking about this." Jake said completely grossed out.  
" It was a letdown, right? Kinda hurt? totally awkward?" Summer asked ignoring Jake.  
"Well, it's not like I had anything to compare it to." Marissa said.  
"La la la la la." Jake sang off key plugging his ears with his fingers.  
"So? do it again, it is way better the second time." Summer said, "You gotta get back on that horse. You got to giddy up!" Summer added doing the universal 'giddy up' dance.  
Jake stopped his 'la'-ing for a minute to stare at Summer in confusion, "How are we all friends?"  
Summer and Marissa giggled.

"Uncle Jimmy?" Jake called as he, Marissa, and Summer walked into Jimmy's office.  
"Hey guys." Jimmy said distracted.  
"So, Summer and I are going to-" Marissa started.  
"Oh right, you're going to Palm Springs. Yeah.." Jimmy trailed off.  
"No ,we're not leaving till tomorrow for Tijuana." Marissa said.  
"Oh thats right. Jake? Are you going with the girls?"  
"Haven't made up my mind yet." Jake said shrugging, looking at his uncle with concern.  
" You, okay? Because I was going to go over to Luke's but if you want I could stay here." Marissa asked.  
" nono, i'm-i'm fine, sweetie. yeah, go to Luke's. Luke's great. Isn't he, Summer? He's a really-really great kid. "  
"Um I guess." Summer said.

As Ryan worked that afternoon Seth and Casey sat at a counter seat. While Summer, Jake, and their popular friends sat at a booth.  
"Is it weird that less than a week ago we were like practically bff with Marissa, Jake, and Summer, but now we're like not even on speaking terms?" Casey asked.  
"Bffs?" Ryan asked eyebrows raised.  
"Oh shut up I'm a girl, I'm allowed to say cheesy things."  
"Hey is she looking at me?" Seth asked.  
Ryan looked over at Summer, "Still no."  
"You know what she's doing? And it's textbook. She's playing hot and cold, trying to pretend our little kiss didn't happen."  
"Well there were no witnesses. The only proff there is, is that you were wearing the same shade lipstick as her but really bro, Ryan and I don't know what you do in your spare time." Casey said as she and Ryan laughed.  
" Well, I guess I'll just have to make magic happen again won't I?"  
"Yeah here." Casey said digging her lipstick out of her purse and pointing towards the bathroom.  
"Sometimes I hate you." Seth said.  
"You do not." Casey said hugging her brother.  
"I don't want your pity hugs." Seth said.  
Marissa and Luke enter the Crab Shak. Ryan and Marissa lock eyes but neither says anything.  
"So what are-" Ryan started but Seth shushed him immeadiatly.  
" Shh, eavesdropping, I hear like a wolf."  
" What do you mean you're not going?" Summer asked.  
" I just, I don't know Summer. I can't." Marissa said.  
"But how am I supposed to get there? The guys are going down tonight for that stupid freshmen hazing . Holly's car is full." Summer said.  
"I'm sorry." Marissa said.  
"It's okay, I'm totally stranded though." Summer said distressed.  
Casey glanced over her shoulder and noticed Holly and Luke talking in pretty close quarters by the auqarium, as they head back to the table Luke turns to Marissa, " C'mon babe, Let's get you out of here before the road trip starts."  
Marissa nodded, "Sorry Summ. See you at home Jake."  
"Hello Summer, Seth Cohen I believe you remember?" he winked at her, she and Jake gave him a weird look, "Nothing? Um, i heard you needed a ride tomorrow."  
Summer nodded, "Yeah, what of it Cohen?"  
Jake shook his head slightly, "I gotta go, see you later, bye Cohen."  
Seth nodded at him, before turning back to Summer with a sparkel in his eye.

The next morning Summer was at the Cohen household before Casey was even dressed. Never the less she was shuffled out of the house in her Snoopy and Charlie Brown pjs, with her suitcase.  
"You remeber the phone numbers?" Sandy asked Seth.  
"Yes dad I think we can manage to remember our phone number." Casey said sarcastically, from her spot on the hood of the car.  
" Did you get any water? Huh? Extra batteries? Did you get some air in the tires? Did you put gas in the tank?" Sandy asked.  
Seth turned to Ryan, "It's amazing we turned out so normal."  
"Ha." Casey laughed, "You normal?"  
"Okay I'm gonna go say goodbye to Coop, Casey don't let him touch my stuff. No offense." she added.  
"I wouldn't want him touching my stuff either." Casey said.  
"You are a bitch in the moring have I ever told you that?" Seth asked his sister.

"C'mon Coop. I got us a ride, just grab some stuff and let's go. You too Jay." Summer added.  
"Whoa what are you guys still doing here?" Jimmy asked.  
"Well we thought we'd stay home this weekend Tijuana will be there anytime." Marissa said, "We can spend some time together."  
" We can't i'm sorry. I thought you were going so, i-uh. made other plans." Jimmy said apologeticly to Marissa and Jake.  
" Okay I guess I'll go pack my stuff." Marissa said while Jake nodded.

"So, who's going with us? " Jake asked.  
"uh you'll see." Summer said opening the front door, "Good news I got the Coops to come with us."  
Marissa opens the door to find Ryan in the middle seat while Jake opens the back door to find Casey sitting there.  
"This is gonna be fun." Casey said sarcastically to Ryan, who nodded.  
"Sit down guys." Seth called as he put the car into drive.  
"Vamanos! We're going to TJ!" Summer exclaimed.

Okay so I know that was the basic episode but I needed to set it up before I could branch out to my own TJ storyline. So I hope you guys liked it, it will get better, so don't worry, and keep reading.  
-Em


	13. Chapter 13

"So we should be there in like three hours?" Summer asked.  
" The GPS says the ETA's three and a half." Seth said.  
" Well, that's because someone drives like an old woman."  
"Jeez! Could you two stop bickering for like five seconds?" Casey asked.  
" This is a nightmare. I'm sweating to death, driving 10 miles an hour, on like a rickshaw listening to this...music."  
"Hey! Do not insult Death Cab." Seth said.  
"Guess not." Ryan said turning to face Casey.  
"It's like one guitar and a whole lot of complaining." Summer said.  
" This reminds me of someone else who's doing a whole lot of complaining, Summer. YOU. Listen to me, I am driving this vehicle, and i will drive at the speed i feel comfortable, okay? It's my music, it's my snacks-"  
"Kudos and goldfish what are you eight?"  
"Hey!" Casey said, "I packed the kudos." she added defensively. Jake grinned slightly.  
"Guys say goodbye to Summer." Seth said pulling over.  
"What are you doing?" Summer asked as they strugle with the wheel.  
"Dropping you off, have fun hitch hiking." Seth said, as Ryan, Marissa, Casey, and Jake began to panic in the back seat.  
"Guys what are you doing?" Casey asked.  
They drove into a ditch and the car axel broke down.  
"Great." Marissa said.  
"Are you two happy now?" Casey asked as tshe stuck out her thumb.  
"Sorry." they both mumbled.  
"Oh boy this is gonna be fun." Ryan mumbled as a truck filled with chicken coops pulled over.  
"You ride in the back." the driver said.  
"Thanks." Casey said.

"Ew." Summer shrieked as they entered the grimy motel room.  
"This is gross." Casey said.  
"It's just for one night." Jake said.  
"No way look at that bed. I can not stay here." Summer said.  
"Well unless you feel like hitchhiking again?" Ryan asked.  
"No thank you I've spent enough time with chickens."  
Seth leaned over and pulled a feather out of her hair.  
"Look let's just go eat and go to bed, the axel will be fixed by morning then we can get the hell outta here." Ryan suggested.  
"Sounds good to me." Casey said.

"So ding dongs or cheese sticks?" Jake asked Casey, since the only eats they found were two vending machines on diffrent sides of the motel. Jake and Casey went one way and Ryan and Marissa went the other.  
"Cheese sticks." she shrugged, "Hey Jake?"  
"Yeah?"  
She shrugged, "I'm sorry that we're argueing. Over whatever it is now... I miss talking to you."  
"I miss talkin to you too." he nodded.  
"So...you wanna take a walk?"  
He shrugged, "Yeah sure."

"I hate ding dongs." Marissa said walking in Casey and Jake's direction.  
"Okay so then cheese sticks it is." Ryan mumbled to himself, "You know it doesn't even matter anyway. Whether or not you were gonna talk to me, if in the end you choose Luke so why don't you get over whatever problem you have with me."  
"Fine!" Marissa said angrily as her cell phone rang, "Hello? Oh hey dad."  
Ryan walked into the room, Seth and Summer already asleep on the bed, he opened up the couch bed, tossing the cushions on the ground for whoever was getting the floor.  
Casey was the next through the door all smiles, "Hey." she whispered.  
"Hey, wheres Jake?" he asked.  
"Talking to Marissa she seemed upset." Casey said.  
"You want the couch?" he asked.  
She shook her head, "I'd rather take my chances with the floor, but thanks, you know I love you."  
Ryan nodded.  
Casey laid down on the floor, and yawned, "You know if you told me a year ago that instead of comic-con Seth and I would be in this disgusting place with the Coopers, Summer Roberts and a deliquant from Chino I would've laughed my ass off."  
"You're telling me." Ryan said passing her a blanket.  
Marissa walked in, obviously having just been crying.  
"Hammer? Are you okay?" Casey asked sitting up.  
"My parents are getting a divorce." she said.  
"Oh I'm so sorry." Casey said.  
"It's okay I guess. I'm just really tired." she said.  
"I could sleep on the floor." Ryan said.  
"No ,it's cool." Marissa said sitting on the bed next to him.  
Jake kneeled on the floor next to Casey, he offered her a small grin, which she returned, offering him some covers.

The next morning Seth and Summer left early for breakfast while Casey and Jake went for another walk.  
"So you really think Marissa is better off with Luke?" Casey asked.  
"Truthfully? No. But I'd never tell her that." he said, "Luke used to be a really nice guy, but lately it's just like he's a completely diffrent person, and he just isn't right for my cousin."  
"Who is he right for?"  
"My aunt." Jake joked.  
"So what's gonna happen with you guys? Are you gonna have to go with your uncle?"  
"It depends my parents did always prefer my aunt to my uncle. It's weird my mom trusts her sister in law more than she trusts her own flesh and blood."  
"Your parents prefer Julie Cooper to Jimmy Cooper?" Casey asked shocked.  
He shrugged, "You think we should've woken Ryan and Marissa?"  
"Nah, they'll get up themselves. If we woke them up they would've been all embaressed."  
"So...we should be getting back to the room, Seth and Summer will be back with the car soon." Jake said.  
Casey nodded.

"Hey you're back, finally." Summer said, flipping through the channels on the television.  
"What are you watching?" Casey asked.  
"I have no idea. It's all fuzz." Summer said.  
"Fuzz?" Seth asked patronizingly.  
"Seth stop being annoying." Casey said, "Wheres Marissa?"  
"Taking a shower." Ryan said folding the couch bed back up.  
Casey shuddered, "Oh man how can she stand it? I rinsed my hair out in the sink this morning."  
"It shows." Seth teased.  
"I love you Seth." Casey said sarcstically.  
"Me too Case, me too." Seth said.  
"Okay," Ryan interupted their fighting, "I'm gonna start loading the bags."  
" I'll help you." Casey said grabbing Seth as she walked out the door.  
"Ow, ow, ow my arm." Seth complained.  
Casey let go of him and lifted herself up onto the hood of the car while the boys loaded the car. Ryan stopped and looked at her," I thought you were gonna help?"  
"Yeah I know but...I slept on the floor last night, I don't want to." she whined.

" I still don't understand why we needed to get two rooms. I'm going to leave you my key just in case you get lonely." Seth said to Summer.  
"Or in case, i might smother you with a pillow while you're sleeping. " Summer said.  
" Whatever turns you on." Seth said.  
Casey looked at Summer, "Make sure you know which bed he's sleeping in, cause I don't wanna wake up eating pillow."  
Summer nodded.  
" So everyone is probably at Boom Boom." Marissa said changing the subject.  
" Oh , just let me run into the pharmacy. You can get whatever you want without a prescription. I need to make a pitstop for my stepmom. I guess she's already taking all the painkillers available in Orange County." Summer said.  
"I should go too, get me some antihistamine...for my allergies." Seth added.  
Casey and Jake followed Seth and Summer leaving Ryan and Marissa alone.  
"You know, you don't have to come with us, if you don't want. Cuz' you know, i'm going to go find Luke."  
Ryan offered her a small smile, "It's okay, really it's fine."  
"Seth you are such a weakling." Casey teased pinching his cheek as they left the store.

"We'll go get some drinks." Ryan said as he, Seth, and Jake headed for the bar.  
"I'm gonna go dance." Casey said to Summer and Marissa.  
"I gotta find Luke." Marissa said.  
"I'm gonna go follow the boys for the booze train." Summer said.

After ten minutes Jake joined Casey on the dance floor, wrapping his arms around her waist.  
Seth and Summer were messing around and drinking.  
Ryan and Marissa were laughing looking for Luke.

"Hey guys." Casey said walking up to Seth and Summer.  
"Hey you guys seen Coop or Atwood?"  
"Uh I think they went upstairs." Jake said pointing.  
When they climbed the stairs they could already hear Marissa yell, " What are you doing?"  
The four echanged glances and walked quickly over to Marissa, Ryan, Luke, and Holly.  
"What's going on?" Casey asked Ryan.  
"Luke was just making out with one of my ex best friends." Marissa said, then added to both of them, "Don't ever talk to me again!"  
" you are such a bitch!" Summer said, to Holly.  
"please, he hooks up with everyone, freshmen girls, girls from moderday, girls from UCI...Marissa! Everyone knows! Everyone! Now you do too! " Holly yelled as Marissa ran down the stairs crying.  
Ryan runs after her immeaditaly. As Summer starts to go after Holly only to be stopped by Seth.  
"She suffers from rage blackouts Holly, walk away." Seth said, as Jake went foward and punched Luke.  
"Stay the hell away from my cousin." he said as Casey despretly tried to pull him away.

Ryan caught up to Marissa crying outside to bar.  
"I- I can't believe he did that."  
"It'll be okay." Ryan said, attempting to console her. Marissa leaned foward and kissed him, "Whoa." he added breaking the kiss.  
"What?"  
"I'm not gonna do this." Ryan said.  
"Why?" she asked.  
"Because your only doing it to get back at Luke and I'm not gonna be that guy for you."  
Marissa started crying again, and started running, Ryan started to go after her but he lost her in the crowd.  
"Ryan?" Casey called.  
"Yeah." he called back walking over to them.  
"Where is she?" Seth asked.  
"She disapeared, I lost her in the crowd." Ryan said.  
"Alright well let's split up." Casey said.  
"Whoever finds her calls the others cell phone." Jake said grabbing Casey's hand and going one way leaving Seth and Ryan to go another and Summer said she'd go to the hotel.

" Thank god, Coop." Summer said entering the room.  
"I can't believe I slept with him." Marissa said, "and then I kissed-"  
"Kissed who?" Summer asked.  
"Ryan."  
"Oh sweetie, you didn't." Summer said.  
Marissa nodded.  
"It's okay, it'll be okay, but I gotta call everyone."  
"No, I don't want to see them. I'm just so embarressed." Marissa said.  
"Alright we'll go home."  
" I can't go home, my dad will be gone, my mom will be back, I have- I have no one."  
Summer hugged her, "It's okay sweetie.You've got me and you've got Jake. C'mon coop, Let's get out of here. I'll grab our stuff."  
Summer hurried to the bathroom, "Hey it's me. I found her. She's at the hotel. Call Casey and Jake and get here fast." Casey turned off her phone and called, "Hey Coop, wanna get some dinner? Coop? Coop?"

Summer rushes out of the room, and meets up with the other four, " Bad news she's gone."  
"What?" Jake asked.  
"Should we split up again?" Casey asked.  
"No, come on let's stick together." Ryan said.

"Marissa?" Seth called.  
"Coop?"  
"Hammer?"  
"Where is she?" Jake asked Casey tightened her grip on his hand.  
"Don't worry we'll find her." Summer said fear soaking her voice.  
"Oh my god." Casey choked out pointing down and alley way.  
There lying flat on her back was Marissa. Ryan raced down the alley way, as Summer and Casey started crying. Summer leaned into Seth's shoulder while Casey held Jake close.

Okay so alot of it was the same, but seriously it's the TJ epsiode why mess with a good thing? Please review.  
-Em


	14. Chapter 14

" I have four sesame and one plain." Kirsten said motioning to the bagels.  
"I can't eat anything mom." Casey said as she laid her head on her mothers shoulder.  
" we're not gonna hear from the hospital for a while, why don't you guys get showered and dressed? Ryan you can't be late for your meeting with the dean, and Sandy you can't be late for your first day."  
No one moves or leaves.  
Casey looks up, "Well if we're not gonna eat lets-lets jus, let's just go." Everyone turns to leave when the phone rings.

Jake and Jimmy were sitting next to Marissa's bed while she sleeps. The Cohen's and Ryan walk in, Casey rushes and hugs Jake.  
"Hey." he said, nodding to Seth and Ryan.  
" thanks for uh calling the hospital...finding her if they hadn't airlifted her out she uhh..." Jimmy trailed off.  
"How long is she gonna have to stay for?" Ryan asked taking a seat next to her bed.  
" Uhh they said in a-in a day or so, they wanna keep her under observation." Jimmy said.  
"That's hospital policy." Kirsten said, "Wheres Julie?"  
"She's dropping Caitlyn off at her grandmothers." Jimmy said.  
Casey's watch beeped, she glanced apologetically at Jake and Jimmy, "We gotta get to the school, and dad you gotta get to work."  
"Don't worry about it." Jake said.  
She smiled, "Want us to pick up your schedule and books?"  
"If you don't mind."  
She shook her head, "Of course not." She hugged him tightly while Seth squeezed his shoulder. Ryan leaned down and kissed Marissa's forehead.  
"See ya when you wake up Hammer." Casey said.

"Uhh guys I'm gonna check in with the events committee, so I'll catch up with you at the deans office." Kirsten said.  
" yeah." Casey said distracted.  
"Ryan don't be nervous. You'll be great."  
Ryan looked worried, "This is school?"  
" Mm hmm. Ahh registration week Ryan, it's my favourite time of year because your fellow students aren't around to ruin it, " Seth said, "Except that kid, and that kid."  
" you guys have tennis courts and a swimming pool ?"  
"I'm guessing you didn't have at your old school?" Casey asked.  
" ah, well we had a basketball hoop." Ryan said sheepishly.  
"Wild." Casey commented.  
"Hey I was good at it." he said.  
"So try out for the team." Casey said.  
"No. Ryan cannot be on a team, cause then he is no longer a reject like us." Seth said.  
"I'm not a reject." Ryan said.  
"Of course your not." Casey said pinching his cheek, "Your just hated by the king of the school a.k.a Luke Ward."  
"Hey kids." Kirsten said, as they neared her and a group of people.  
" Hi Dr Tally, Miss Kimberly, how're you guys doin?" Seth asked, they don't respond, "Right."  
Casey rolled her eyes and dragged Seth away.  
" my moms more popular then me, that's a little bit pathetic I realise. Oh hey, ah after your meeting we gotta get your photo taken for school ID " Seth said.  
"Another mugshot?"  
" If you must be so cynical." Casey said.

"Relax would you, your going all squirrely." Casey said to Ryan as he fidgeted outside the deans office waiting to start the meeting.  
"I'm not squirrely." he said.  
" Everything's gonna be fine." Kirsten said.  
Ryan sighed, "It's just at Chino Hills, you just sorta showed up, no tests, essays, interviews."  
"Ryan the Harbor school is one of the best private prep schools in the country; if you graduate from here you can get into any college in the UC system, maybe even an Ivy League ."  
" I don't really think I'm an Ivy League kinda guy." he said.  
"After a year or two here you will be."  
"Yeah it's like manditory." Seth joked.  
"Seth you just made him squirrely again." Casey complained.  
" Kirsten, how are you?" Dr. Kim asked exiting her office.  
"Hi, Dr. Kim nice to see you."  
"Good to see you, Seth always interesting to see you. Casey I saw you in Romeo and Juliet a few weeks back. And you must be Ryan, why don't we step into my office."

Dr. Kim looked over Ryan's transcripts, " Weak grades, truancy, notation regarding some criminal activity."  
" It was a misdemeanor, probation." Kirsten said.  
"None the less, not exactly Harbor school material."  
"Dr Kim Ryan's had alot to overcome, but Sandy and I feel that in the right environment he could really excel."  
"There's no doubt that Mr. Atwood has extraordinary promise. I'm just concerned that he hasn't had, adequate preparation for the rigors of our curriculum ."

"What do you think is going on in there?" Seth asked ear pressed to the door.  
"No idea." Casey said boredly laying on the bench.  
"But Ryan will get in right? I mean mom and dad will do something to get him in." Seth said.  
Summer walked up.  
"Hey Summer." Casey said.  
"Hi." Summer said as Casey sat up and motioned for her to sit, " It is so weird being in school right now, surrounded by all these people who have like...no idea."  
" I know...have you talked to Marissa?" Seth asked.  
" I spoke to her mom... you?"  
"We all went by this morning, but she was sleeping." Casey said.  
" I still can't believe it, you know... I thought she was dead." Summer said in almost a whisper.  
" Me too...well hey maybe when she's feeling better we'll um, we'll take her out and try and cheer her up. Take her to a movie or, six flags that kinda thing ..." Seth said.  
"Yeah, I guess..." Summer said sadly.  
"Hey you guys." Ryan said exiting the ofice.  
"Hi." Summer said.  
Casey nodded, "Wheres mom?"  
"Finishing up in there."  
"So your gonna being going here?" Summer asked.  
"If I pass the entrance exam." Ryan shrugged.  
"So wanna come back to our place? Jake said he'd call if there where any changes." Casey asked Summer.  
"I can't I gotta pick up my stuff then get back home to the stepmonster. But I'll see you guys later." she said nodding to them.

" It's a good thing I never thrown anything away, the questions are different but you get the idea ." Seth said presenting Ryan with an old test.  
" Yeah, that I'm gonna fail."  
"Don't say that, you're gonna do fine." Casey sighed sitting on the bed. Her phone started beeping, "It's a text message from Jake, we gotta get to the hospital, Summer's gonna meet us there. Somethings wrong."

When the three arived at the hospital Jake was waiting outside Marissa's hospital room. Jake wrapped his left arm around Casey's waist as they entered Marissa's room.  
"What's going on?" Ryan asked after hugging Marissa.  
"My mom is a bitch." Marissa said.  
"They all are sometimes." Casey said.  
"She's not gonna let my dad have visitation rights. She wants me to go see a shrink. I don't know what to do."  
"Okay Coop relax." Summer said, "We can come up with a plan. What time is she due back?"  
"A half hour maybe." Jake said.  
"She's not gonna want us here is she?" Seth asked.  
"Hell no." Jake said, "She wants us far away from you Cohens."  
"Ryan what times your test?" Casey asked.  
"Two hours."  
"Damn it! When are you gonna study?" Jake asked.  
"Forget it, I can wing it."  
"Ryan." Casey said.  
"No Case seriously, they get what they get. If they don't want me there test grades aren't gonna fix it."  
Seth and Casey exchanged glances, then said in unison, "Mom."  
"What?" Summer asked.  
"I'll go, I'll intevein. Damn it why didn't we think about this before?" Casey said grabbing the keys.  
"No, I'll go that way I can say he's like naked or something." Seth said.  
"Ew! I can never close my eyes again." Casey said handing over the keys, "Drive fast!"  
"What was that about?" Jake asked.  
"Ryan's supposed to be studying. Mom is one of those people who like to check up on you when your studying so hopefully Seth will just make it." Casey said checking her watch.  
"Okay so I wanna get out of here." Marissa said.  
"Well you can't leave now your moms gonna be here." Ryan said.  
"I want new curtains in her room. The ones she's got let too much light in." They heard Julie Cooper's voice boom fro mdown the hall.  
"Wow it's like your phycic." Casey said to Ryan, "Any visions on how we're gonna get out of this mess?"  
"Bathroom." Jake said pushing, Ryan, Casey, and Summer into the bathroom.  
"Hi, kids." Julie said walking in, "The curtain problem is taken care of. Now Dr. Sandra, will be here in a litle bit."  
"Dr. Sandra?" Marissa asked.  
"She's a woman from the institution in Boston."  
"Institution?"  
"Boston?" Jake asked.  
"Yes." Julie said, then a loud clater came from the bathroom, "What was that?"  
"Get in the shower quick." Summer whispered to Casey and Ryan, "Sorry that was me. I...tripped over...something. Hey Mrs. Cooper."  
"Oh hello Summer you scared me."  
"Summer scares us all Aunt Jules." Jake teased.  
"Yes, yes thats very humorous." Julie said chuckling slightly, "Okay well I have to make a few calls, you kids have fun."  
"Okay." Jake said, as soon as she was out the door, he rushed over to the bathroom letting them out.  
"That was close." Casey said.

Please Review. There are a few diffrences, I know you guys want me too branch out like before, but the escape and the rescue were pretty vital storylines to the show that I need in my story.  
-Em


	15. Chapter 15

"Ryan you gotta go now." Casey said looking at her watch.  
"I'll be back in a couple hours I promise." Ryan said to Marissa.  
She merely nodded.  
"I better get going before your mom gets back." Casey said stepping foward to hug Marissa. She nodded to Jake and hugged Summer quickly then left.

"Hey Casey where have you been?" Kirsten asked as Casey entered the house.  
"Um nowhere just out."  
Kirsten looked like she wanted to say more but the doorbell rang, "After I get this you, Seth, I are gonna have a nice little chat about your surprise trip to Tijuana."  
"Can't wait." Casey said sarcastically, she ran up the stairs to her brothers room not even stopping to knock, "Hi."  
"Hey whats going on?" he asked sitting up.  
"Mom is about to come up to talk to us. Ryan will be home in like 2 hours so after that I guess we just sneak into the hospital again and figure out how to help Marissa."  
"Wait help Marissa with what?" Casey proceeded to fill her brother in on what was going on." She wants to send Marissa away?"  
Casey nodded, "Yeah and Marissa is freaking out. At least Jake and Summer are there."  
There was a knock on Seth's door, "Um...not now mom...I'm studying...naked."  
"Ew!" Came the response, Seth and Casey exchanged glances.  
"Summer?" Casey called.  
"Oh No! No no no! Ew Casey?" Summer called realizing who addressed her.  
Seth got up and opened the door, to find Summer on the other side covering her eyes, " Please come in... I'm not naked."  
Summer uncovered her eyes and glanced at Casey who waved, "Okay I don't get it. What kind of family do you have Cohen?"  
"The kind where mothers and children wear clothes...always...even in the shower." he said.  
"Coop just called, she's freaking out, her moms threatening to ship her off to the insane asylum. Like for good. Not just for a few weeks like she had origanally planned."  
"What?" Casey asked standing.  
"Yeah I guess doctor whats her face said Marissa would do good in a diffrent enviornment or something. Jake is there trying to calm her down but we need to do something. We need to get radical guys. We need Ryan."  
"well you can't have him he's taking a placement exam, what's wrong with me though, am I not radical enough? " Seth asked a little offended.  
"Well that depends are you ready to take on Julie Cooper?" Summer asked while Casey grabbed the car keys.  
"We need ryan." Seth said. Summer nodded, as the three were exiting the room Seth added, "That's my bed." to Summer.  
"Okay."  
"I just wanted you to know."  
"Uh huh." she said.

After sucessfully getting Ryan, well sucessfully depending on how you look at it, they made record time from the school to the hospital. But at the moment Ryan and Seth were growing impatient waiting for Summer and Casey. It had seemed Summer had come with a plan she wasn't letting them in on yet.  
"The girls should have been back by now." Seth said checking his watch.  
"we can't wait for them forever." Ryan said walking up to the receptionist, "Hi, we're here for Marissa Cooper."  
"It's okay Denise they're with us." Summer's voice came from behind Seth.  
Seth and Ryan turned around, "Good Lord." Seth said grinning at the sight of his true love and his sister in candy striper outfits.  
"Not a word." Casey said through clentched teeth.  
"But there are so many I could use right now." he said as they walked away from the reception desk.  
" can you get us in the psych ward or not?" Ryan asked Summer.  
"Try and keep up." Summer said.  
"Okay Seth your on look out."  
" Hi Gloria, I know it's my day off but I just cannot get enough of sick people, these guys are gonna help me with the sponge baths ." Summer said to another receptionist.

" I know this may be difficult for you kids to hear but Dr Bourke and I think it's for the best ." Julie told Marissa and Jake.  
"What about uncle Jimmy?" Jake asked.  
"Well he just wants what's best forMarissa. Now Dr Bourke and I have to finish some paperwork so you should get dressed ok? I'm glad you're taking this so well Marissa." Julie said.  
"Well if it's for the best." Marissa said nodding. Her mother hugged her and then left the room. Marissa took a deep breath just as Ryan came out of the bathroom, "How'd I do?"  
"You had us convinced." Jake said.  
Ryan handed her a bag and she headed for the bathroom. Casey peaked her head in and Jake got a good look at her, cracking up, "Shut up it's Summer's idea. For cover.Can we speed this up?"  
Marissa walked out in her candy striped uniform, "Seth or Ryan?" she asked Casey.  
"Summer."  
"Didn't see that one coming."  
"What that Summer is evil? And makes us dress up in candy stripper uniforms for her own sick amusement?" Casey asked.  
"Or she made you dress up in that to get you in and out of this hospital." Jake said shuffling his cousin and Casey towards the door.  
Ryan opened it only to find Luke on the other side, " Could this day get any worse?" Casey asked.  
"Go away." Marissa said.  
" I just wanted to see you I'm-I'm so sorry about everything." Luke said.  
"That's what you said in Mexico." Casey said really not helping the situation.  
"That was a mistake." he said to Casey.  
She laughed, "No kidding."  
Luke looked at both of the girls, "Why are you dressed like that?"  
Seth ran through the door way breathless, "Julie Cooper and the doctor are on the move."  
"You're running away?"  
"Luke please-"  
"Take the stairs." he said quietly.

The six walked around the boardwalk, unsure of their next move.  
"We could go talk to my dad." Casey said.  
"That would never work he'd tell Jimmy right away." Seth said.  
"What are our choices?" Jake asked.  
"Yeah we can rule out both my mom and dad." Marissa said.  
"I guess we can rule out my mom too." Casey added.  
"Definatly my family. I doubt they even know where I am." Summer said.  
Ryan who had been quiet finally spoke, "I think we should go to Sandy."  
"What?" Casey asked.  
"He wouldn't tell Jimmy right away. He'd atleast let us know her rights. If I remeber correctly, neither of your parents have custody cause they just got divorced. Seth give me your phone."

An hour later the six kids were all in Seth's room waiting for Jimmy and Julie to arrive.  
"look theres my dads car." Marissa said looking out Seth's window.  
"And right behind is good old aunt Ju." Jake said.  
"You ready for this Coop?"  
Marissa nodded.

"I don't understand what this has to do with Marissa." Julie said. As soon as Ryan, Seth, and Casey walked down the stairs Julie grew pale, "Where is she?" she demanded.  
Casey shrugged, " I don't know, at a bus station, on a tropical island somewhere."  
"Casey." Kirsten scolded.  
"We are speaking on her behalf." Ryan said.  
"I don't want to speak to you I want to talk to Marissa." Julie said.  
"Well Marissa doesn't want to speak to you." Casey said.  
"look your from riverside right, well that's not to far from where I grew up." Ryan stated calmly  
"I'm calling the police." Julie said.  
"Julie please let's just listen to them." Jimmy said.  
" AND I know this place has everything we never had and I know your afraid your gonna lose it all, everything you've ever wanted . But what you want, and what your daughter wants are two different things."  
"YOU! DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE WANTS!"  
"I KNOW WHAT SHE DOESN'T WANT! She doesn't wanna go to Sandiego, and she doesn't want to live with you." Ryan paused, "Either of you. Marissa wants to be legally emancipated."  
"What?" Julie demanded." I don't know what I'm suppose to say to any of this."  
"Just say yes." Marissa said from her spot on the stairs, "Both of you."  
"If this is really what you want..." Jimmy said fully understanding what Marissa needed.  
"No...no you can't be saying this." Julie said.  
"Mom you are trying to help and all your doing is making things worse." Marissa said.  
" You have no idea how scared I was." Julie said close to tears.  
" I'm sorry...but look I'm not gonna hurt myself again and I'll even still see a therapist if you want, but I wanna do it here...an I wanna live on my own...I mean at least for now. I don't even hjave to make it a legal emancipation I could just live on my own for a little while." she said.  
"This isn't over Marissa. I'll let myself out." Julie said.  
Jimmy got up and hugged her, "Where are you staying tonight?"  
"She can stay here." Sandy said.  
Jimmy nodded, "Take care of her. I love you Marissa."  
"I love you too dad." As Jimmy left Kirsten turned to Ryan.  
"So...Dr. Kim called."  
"Um I gotta go upstairs and fix the thing." Casey said.  
"Let me help you with that it's really tricky." Seth said.  
"Right behind you guys." Summer said.  
"I'll come see if I can help." Jake said.  
"You know I'm good with fixing things." Marissa said following.  
Kirsten raised her eyebrows at Ryan.

Please review. Next chapter schools starting and I'm so sorry guys but I just found a wayto work in dun dun dun! Anna. Marissa isn't gonna stay on her own for good. She'll find out her dad didn't want to send her away and then things will get better for the Cooper family. But not without loads of drama first.  
-Em


	16. Chapter 16

Casey stood next to her mirror holding up a pair of jeans and a stripped shirt to herself. Sandy walked in, and she glanced in his direction.  
"Hi daddy. Everything all cleared up? Ryan can start with us tomorrow?"  
Sandy nodded, "So trying to look your best for your boyfriend?"  
Casey shook her head, "We're not really going out anymore."  
"Really?" Sandy asked shocked.  
"Yeah not since before our little suprise trip to TJ."  
"That long? What happened?"  
"We got into a fight."  
"Have you two talked about it?" he asked. Casey shook her head, "Well I suggest you do so. How do you think your mother and I have been so strong for 20 years? Communication and trust is the foundation to any good relationship."  
"I guess." Casey shrugged.  
"Talk to him. You might be suprised."  
"Okay daddy."  
"Now get some rest. You have to be up early tomorrow."  
Casey nodded as Sandy left the room. She walked over to her closet and pulled out a skirt she was working on for her next play. It was made of pink denim, and it came just above her knee. She hung it on the door knob and laid down on her bed shutting off the light.

"Well don't you look nice." Kirsten said as Casey walked into the kitchen.  
"Thanks mom. Where are the guys?"  
"Seth and Ryan are in the pool house. Marissa is still in the shower."  
Casey grabbed and apple and headed for the door, "Send Marissa out when she's done."  
"...and then I found pee in my shoe. I mean why would they pee in my shoe?"  
"Cause you were a geek, who always made fun of them with wit instead of stupid gay comments like they used." Casey said flopping on Ryan's bed, she sniffed his pillow, "Ryan have you been using moms weird coconut shampoo?"  
"I use whatevers in my bathroom, " he said quickly, then changed the subject hastily, " So pee in your shoes huh?"  
"Wait a minute Ryan do you see what I see? No, it couldn't be...is Casey, our little Casey all grow up, and wearing a skirt? Casey is a girl?" he pretened to be shocked.  
"Bite me." she said.  
"Whoa whose biting who and why aren't I apart of it?" Jake joked as he and Summer walked into the pool house each holding a cup of coffee.  
Casey tossed the coconut pillow at Ryan, "Hey." Ryan said, catching it.  
"Sorry I thought you were Seth." she said.  
Marissa walked in holding her own cup of coffee.  
"Why didn't mom offer me a cup of coffee?" Casey asked.  
"Maybe she was too shocked by the fact that you were a girl." Seth said.  
Ryan threw the coconut pillow at Seth, "Once again dear brother, bite me."  
"I think you look nice." Jake said, sitting next to her.  
"Okay come on kids. Time for school." Sandy said walking to the pool house door.  
"Do I have to go?" Casey whined.  
"Well you could stay here with Ryan's coconut pillow." Seth said.  
"What's a coconut pillow?" Marissa asked Ryan.  
"Nothing let's go." Ryan said lifting Casey off his bed and carrying her out the door.  
"I hate you. Seth could never carry me out the door to make me go to school. You're like on mom and dads side." she said pouting.  
"You were going to school anyway, I was just speeding things up." he said.  
"You're on their side." she said as he let her down in front of the car.  
"Why did I ask Santa for a sister when I was 10?" Ryan asked Seth.

When they pulled up to the school, Seth and Summer were bickering, Ryan and Marissa were slightly flirting, and Casey and Jake had barely said two words to each other.  
"So we all have first period study hall together? That is like so weird." Summer said.  
"Well not really Summ, you, me, and Jake always have first period together. It's like a weird tradition." Marissa pointed out.  
"Okay yeah but not only us but Casey, Ryan, and Cohen? You gotta admit it's not normal for the six of us to all have classes together."  
"Yeah cause Ryan just moved here." Seth said.  
"Cohen that's not the point!" Summer whined.  
"Oh my God." Casey groaned as her brother and Summer launched into another arguement.  
"Hey Cooper!" one of Jake's friends called.  
"Hey Chris." Jake said, his arm around Casey's shoulder. Casey was busy trying to figure out what it meant by him having his arm around her. The other four got ahead of them, not noticing.  
"So, how was your summer man?"  
Jake shrugged, "Nothing special."  
"Not what I heard, man."  
"Yeah um, hey have you met my girlfriend Casey?" Jake asked changing the subject.  
"What?" Casey asked.  
"Yeah babe, this is Chris." Jake said.  
"Oh so this is Juliet." Chris said knowingly.  
"Yeah this is my Juliet." Jake said.  
"Um hi." Casey said uncomfortably.  
"So about your summer man, I heard your cuz got stoned adn slept with like every guy in Mexico." Chris said laughing.  
"That's not what happened." Jake said tensely.  
"Dude come on. Marissa Cooper is now rumored to be a bigger slut that Heather Mills."  
Casey caught his fist as it was begining to bal at his side, "Don't do it. He's not worth it."  
"I never wouldv'e figured Ris Cooper for a stoner either. I mean the slut thing was obvious look at her mom, but pot?" Chris shook his head laughing.  
Casey let go of Jake's hand and kicked Chris in the crotch, "Hey Julie Cooper may be a witch but she is not a slut, and Marissa Cooper didn't sleep with anyone in Mexico. Now your lucky all you got a a knee in the balls, cause Jake would have damn near killed you." she hissed at Chris and dragged Jake away.  
"Hey what took you guys?" Marissa asked, as the two caught up.  
"Um just got caught up at the annoncment board." Casey said.  
"You guys have an annoncment board?" Ryan asked.  
"Yes, this school is so far ahead of its time." Casey said leaning her head on Ryan's shoulder in tiredness, "You can carry me now."  
"No, you hurt me too much before by suggesting I was in league with your parents." Ryan said.  
"Ryan, I love you, you're the best brother in the whole wide world."  
"Hey." Seth said.  
"Sorry Seth but you can't carry me to class. You're too chicken boned."  
"I feel the love sis, really I do." Seth said sarcastically.  
Casey smiled at her brother, and linked arms with Ryan and Seth, "Let's make a pact." she whispered, "Just the three of us, no matter what happens this year, it'll always be us three."  
Ryan and Seth exchanged glances as Casey put her hand in the middle, Ryan placed his hand on top of hers, then Seth followed suit, "Okay."  
As they all took their seats at the huge eight chair table, Ryan, Casey, and Seth sat on one side with Marissa, Jake, and Summer across from them. A blonde girl walked in taking a seat next to Seth.  
"Hi I'm Anna Stern." she said.  
Casey managed a tight smile while trying to catch Jake's eye. It was obvious he was avoiding her.  
"I don't know why you're avoiding me. I should be avoiding you, after the way you blindsighted me." she hissed.  
"It was my fight Case- Wait why are you angry at me?" he asked.  
"Have you met my girlfriend Casey?" she mimicked Jake's voice.  
"What your mad cause I intoduced you to someone?"  
"No, she's mad cause you two haven't talked about your relationship since that fight you had over Coop and Chino and now your introducing her to people as your girlfriend." Summer interjected.  
"Summer." Jake said.  
"Hey she's right. I thought we had broken up." Casey said.  
"So what do you wanna be broken up?" Jake asked.  
"Well...no but-"  
"Well then problem solved. Look Case I'll admit that we have to work on our communucation skills abit, but I like you."  
"Well I like you too."  
"How about, " Jake started, taking her hand in his, "I promise that the next time we fight, I will wait no longer than an hour to find you and make up?"  
Casey grinned, "A whole hour?"  
"Well yeah, the anger that emits from you I gotta wait about an hour, so I don't end up like Chris."  
"Chris Jennings? What happened to him?" Marissa asked.  
"Um...nothing, it doesn't matter, so Anna your new here?" Jake asked changing the subject.  
"Um yeah, I just moved here from Pittsburg. I just spent the summer sailing in Tahiti."  
Seth eyes grew wide, Casey's hand flew over her mouth and she sent Ryan a panicked look. Jake wondering why she yanked her hand away looked at her in confusion.  
"I'm sorry did you say Tahiti?" Seth asked.  
"Yeah." Anna said grinning at him. Summer eyed Anna uneasily.  
"I'm Seth Cohen, this is my twin sister Casey, Ryan Atwood, Jake and Marissa Cooper, and Summer Roberts." Anna nodded to them all.  
"So, um have you ever been to Tahiti?" Anna asked Seth.  
"No but um I plan to go there some day." he glanced at Summer who quickly averted her eyes.  
"Coconut head, Seth, can I have a word?" Casey said to the boys.  
"Whats up?" Seth asked, when they were out of earshot. Casey reached up and smacked them both on the head.  
"You stop making Summer jealous and you ask Hammer out already."  
"I'm making Summer jealous?" Seth asked rubbing his head.  
"You want me to ask her out now?" Ryan asked as they both ignored Seth.  
"Yeah, come on Coco, she likes you, you like her, just do it already." Seth cracked up slightly, "Oh grow up." she added to her brother as they walked back to the table.  
"Oh and stop talking about the coconut shampoo already." Ryan whispered, "Hey ah Marissa can I talk too you?"  
"Um, yeah." she said getting up, and following him to a corner.  
"What's going on?" Summer asked Casey.  
"I told him to ask her out." Casey said as they both watched the exchange. "Oh look, he's all nervous."  
"Look she's playing with her hair."  
"Aww, Jake aren't they cute?" Seth asked pushing Jake's shoulder effeminately.  
"Oh totally." Jake said in a high voice.  
"So um Seth...do you wanna see the pictures, maybe after school today?" Anna asked.  
"He can't." Summer interrupted, "He's coming over to my house after school today, right Cohen?"  
"Umm." Seth studdered.  
"Cohen?" Summer asked again.  
"Right, totally, yeah, sorry Anna." Seth said. Summer smiled content with herself.  
Casey grinned and Ryan and Marissa finally made their way back to the table grins on both their faces.  
"Oh yeah Case that reminds me. Wanna go to the kickoff carnival with me?"  
"Yeah, why not?" Casey shrugged.  
"When did you two get married?" Anna commented.  
I don't like her. Casey wrote on a piece of paper and passed it to Ryan. ryan read it then pulled out a pen and started writing. He wrote for about two minutes till Casey finally asked," God, what are you doing writing a disertation?" Ryan gave her the paper.  
We don't know her give her a chance. She seems nice. Seth doesn't have feelings for her he likes Summer, so you don't have to worry about them. Maybe she'll turn out to be someone who we can call friend.  
Casey glanced at Ryan, "You are such a peace maker."

So find out what happens when Seth goes to Summer's. Please review.  
-Em


	17. Chapter 17

"Okay, so do I drive you guys home and then go with Summer or do I-?" Seth rambled to Casey and Ryan til Casey interupted.  
"Seth! Just ask her." Casey almost yelled, "Go up to her, right now!"  
"But-"  
"No. Just go." Ryan interupted.  
"Well if you guys really think I should."  
"Just go!" they both shouted.  
"Okay." he said walking away.  
"What would I do if you weren't here?" Casey asked Rayn as they both sat on a nearby bench.  
"You'd probably still be playing video games with Seth while he told you how much he loved Summer and you denied having feelings for Jake." Ryan said teasingly.  
"You know me so well." she laughed, "So did you ask Marissa out earlier?"  
Ryan nodded, "Yeah to that kickoff carnival thing. I guess she like puts the whole thing together and whatever."  
"Yeah she's been doing that for years." Casey nodded, "So is Newport better than Chino?"  
Ryan paused thinking about it, "Well in Chino, I had a brother and that was cool, and now I've still got a brother, " he glanced at Seth who was making Summer laugh, " but now I've got a sister, and that's pretty cool too."  
Casey pretended to be uninterested, "So you'd choose us over going back to Chino, with all your cool deliquent friends?"  
"Of course, I would. I only had one real friend back in Chino, two tops. But here with you, Seth, your parents...I feel like I'm home...If that makes any sense at all. I like being in Newport with you guys."  
Casey wiped her eyes, "God make me cry Atwood."  
"Hey." Jake said, coming up behind her with Marissa, "Why are you crying?"  
"Cause Ryan's a jerk, and he says nice things that make me cry."  
"What?" Marissa asked confused.  
"Nothing." Ryan said rolling his eyes.  
"Where's Seth?" Jake asked.  
"Trying to find out what Summer meant when she invited him over today." Casey said pointing to Seth and Summer who were now sitting on the grass.  
"I don't think Summer knows what she meant when she invited him over." Marissa said.  
"Oh my God! What is that bitch doing?" Casey asked as Anna came up to Seth and Summer and sat down.  
"Being friendly?" Ryan said.  
"More like trying to get my brother to like her." Casey said bitterly.  
"Why do you care if Anna likes Seth?" Marissa asked.  
"I don't know, just something about her rubs me the wrong way." she said glancing over one last time before turning her full attention to her boyfriend, "Hi."  
"Hi." he said kissing her.  
"So what are you two doing this afternoon?"  
"Well your mom is taking me apartment hunting." Marissa said.  
Casey nodded, "And you?"  
"I gotta call my parents and figure out the situation with my parents and my aunt and uncle." Jake said.  
"Sounds like fun."  
"Yeah compared to the fun we'll be having when Seth gets home and starts over analizing everything, that happened with Summer." Ryan said.  
"Can we switch lives?" Casey asked Marissa.  
"Hey Jakiepoo!" a girls voice called.  
The four turned to see a group standing by a tree about a yard away.  
"Get your ass over here! It's the first day of school, come talk to us." another guy called.  
Jake laughed and glanced at Casey, who wasn't looking directly at him, "Hey, come on. Come meet my friends."  
"No, go ahead."  
"Case." he said.  
"Jake we don't have to do everything together."  
"Casey we just got back together." Jake said mimicking her tone, "So either come with me by free will or I'll carry you."  
Casey ignored him, figuring he was bluffing, "Go talk to your friends." she turned to Ryan, "You think mom needs us home like right after school? Hey! Jake Cooper put me down!" Casey shrieked.  
"Hey, can't say I didn't warn you." he laughed carrying her in the direction of his other friends.  
"Jake, come on. I have nothing in common with these people other than I have classes with a couple of them."  
"Yeah well now you have me in common with them."  
"Jake...at least put me down."  
"Are you gonna run?"  
"Your faster than me, I'll never make it." she teased.  
"Fine." he let her down but kept a firm grasp on her waist, "Hey guys." Jake high fived a few guys a hugged a couple girls, "Guys this is my girlfriend Casey Cohen."  
"Jake Cooper with a girlfriend other than me?" Alana asked giggly, ignoring Casey. Jake smiled and shrugged.  
"Case this is Alana, Jamie, Kendra, Jimmy, Charlie, Jack, and Rachel." Jake intorduced. Casey nodded to them. Jake sat down on the grass pulling Casey next to him, "I already said I'm not gonna run. You can let up on this death grip." she added to him in a whisper.  
"I don't want to." he whispered back in her ear making her grin.  
"God man, don't you just like wanna spend like a year reding?" Jamie asked, digging through her backpack.  
"What book?" Casey mumbled.  
"So did you hear my mom is making me get a job at the pharmacy. You know the one that we always hang out near?" Kendra said.  
Jake nodded, "Why?"  
"She doesn't think I apprieciate money. Can you believe that?" Kendra exclaimed.  
"Perish the thought." Casey mumbled, Jake squeezed her hand.  
"So, I'm like, 'Jeez mom, chill out.' and like I agreed whatever, ya know."  
Casey leaned back into Jake, "Oh how cute." Alana said looking at them.  
"Oh! I forgot to show you guys! Check out my new top," Kendra pulled out a shirt, it had a nun on it with her brest showing, saying 'wife of god?', "Isn't it awsome? I'm totally wearing it later tonight when I go to work, nuns are like always there."  
Casey scrunched up her face, "Nuns can't shop?"  
"What?"  
"Well you said you were gonna wear it cause nuns always go there...so like nuns aren't alowed to shop or...?"  
"Well no, it's just you know them always trying to make you believe in god." Jamie said.  
"Do they actually do that? Tell you to follow their religion?" Casey asked a little suprised.  
"Not directly, but they always wear those clothes, like a big sigh that says, "I'm a nun and I believe in God." Kendra said.  
"But they do believe in God." Casey said still not understanding their point.  
"Oh my god, Casey chill out! It's just a shirt." Alana said.  
Casey took a deep breath, "Your right Alana it is just a shirt, not offensive to say a Catholic person like me." Casey stood, "I'll see you later Jake, I'm gonna go find Seth and Ryan."  
"No Case wait." Jake said.  
"Jake we aren't in a fight, hang out with your friends, do not come find me in an hour, because let me repeat we are not in a fight." Casey stated clearly, then she glanced around, "Nice to meet you all."  
"You are actually dating that girl?" Rachel asked, Jake nodded.  
"How can you stand her attitude?" Kendra asked.  
"It's weird she has a terrible temper, she swears all the time, she has a strange atachment to her brothers, and she craves attention, but I think I might be falling for this girl."  
Alana looked at him, "What?"  
"Yeah," Jake said shaking his head laughing, "well I gotta go."  
"Why?" Alana asked upset.  
"Cause if I let an hour go by without going to see her, I'll be a dead man."  
"But she just said-"  
"Yeah, she didn't mean it." he laughed standing up, "See you guys later."

"Okay, that's it, Miss Party Pooper, Summer, Anna, Marissa, you'll have to excuse the three of us." Seth said dragging his sister and brother away.  
"I don't wanna talk about it." Casey said, leaning next to the water fountain.  
"Why not?" Ryan asked, leaning next to her.  
"I don't get along with those people, I told him I don't get along with those people!" Casey said.  
"What people?" Seth asked.  
"Alana's friends, his friends whatever, I don't talk to those people." she mumbled sinking down to the ground.  
"Calm down, kid." Seth said.  
"I am calm." she grumbled.  
"Well then...okay." Ryan said unsure what else to say.  
"Ry, don't get all uncomfortable." Casey said.  
"I'm not uncomfortable." he said defensively.  
"So did I tell you guys Summer touched my arm? Anna came to sit with us and she was telling me about Tahiti and Summer leaned really close to me and put her hand right here." he said touching just above his elbow."  
"Oh my gosh." Casey sighed, "At least my drama is interesting."  
"Oh is that so?" Seth asked.  
"Yep."  
"Really?"  
"Uh-huh." Seth exchanged glances with Ryan and they both in unison started tickling Casey. She shrieked, "Oh my gosh! Stop! Ahh!" She got up running. Jake was sitting near Summer, Marissa, ad Anna, and Casey jumped behind him, laughing, "Hide me." she paused then looked at him then back at the group that were still by the trees, she then smacked Jake in the head, "What did I tell you?"  
"Ow! I don't remember you just knocked it out of my head! Jeez you can pack a punch." he said rubbing his head, then turning to face her.  
"I specifically told you- Seth, Ryan not now!- I told you to stay with your friends we weren't fighting." she said angrily.  
"I bet we are now though." he said.  
"Oh you bet your ass we are now. Jake, I am not gonna be one of those controling girlfriends who don't let their boyfriends hang out with their other friends, just because she doesn't like them." she said seriously.  
"Case, I chose not to hang out with them." he said slowly.  
"Only because you thought I'd be mad." she said almost whining.  
"Okay excuse us." Jake said moving Casey over towards the side, he put her face in his hands and made her face him, "I care about you more that I care about them."  
"Really? And I'm not too controling?"  
"I like when your controling." he said kissing her.

"Okay, so you wanna watch a movie?" Casey asked as she and Ryan dropped their stuff in the pool house, after Kirsten grilled them for a half hour on how their day was.  
"Don't you have homework?" Ryan asked.  
"Yeah but we have a study hall tomorrow." she said like it was obvious.  
"Yeah sure whatever you want to watch."  
"Ryan!" Seth yelled running into the pool house, "I am a man! I had sex with a girl."  
"Ew!" Casey exclaimed.  
Seth ignored her, "Summer to be specific."  
"Whoa what?" Casey demanded.  
"Yeah." Seth said nodding.  
"How?" Ryan asked. Off their looks he said, "Well I know how, I just meant how did it happen?"  
"Yeah for the purpose of this conversation your not my sister." Seth said to Casey.  
"Duh." she replied.  
"Okay so I went over there..."

"So Summer whats going on?" he asked pretending to be casual.  
"Nothing. We're friends right Cohen?"  
"Yeah, sure we're friends, we went to TJ together, we shared a bed. You've come to a party at my house, I've been to a party that you were at." he said looking her directly in the eyes. He moved closer to her. He was working up the courage to kiss her when his cell phone rang, "He-hello? Oh hi Anna. Yeah, no it's fine, it's a good time. Uh-huh..." Summer glared at the cell phone, she grabbed it out of his hands.  
"Hi Anna it's Summer, theres an emergency here and I need Seth ,so he'll have to call you back. Buh-bye." she hung up the phone.  
"Emergency?"  
"Yeah the emergency is that you are being rude to me!" she said smacking him in the shoulder.  
"Ow, I'm sorry."  
"Yeah well you should be." Summer exclaimed angrily going to hit him again but he caught her arm, he didn't let it go, stareing into her eyes, not breaking the look she tried to hit him again with her other hand but he caught her other arm. A beat went by with Seth holding both Summer's arms and both looking into each others eyes, until Seth finally worked up the courage to kiss her. Summer pusehed him down on her bed following.

"And then it happened." Seth said dreamily.  
"So are you two like together now?" Casey asked.  
"I have no idea. Her stepmother yelled for her and we had to get dressed really quickly, but she did let me kiss her goodbye." he said.  
"So call her." Ryan said.  
"But what if she doesn't want to talk to me what if I was...bad?"  
"And this is where I leave the room." Casey said, "I'm gonna go see Jake, maybe we'll go over to see Marissa and Summer, mom said Marissa is gonna stay with them for now, I'll find out what I can about yours and Summer's relationship."  
"Thank you, I love you." Seth said.  
"I know."

Casey walked through the yard to Jake's front door, she leaned foward and rang the bell. Caitlyn Cooper threw open the door.  
"Hi, is Jake home?"  
"Who are you?" Caitlyn asked.  
"Casey Cohen, I live next door." she said pointing.  
"You don't look like Casey." Caitlyn said squinting and tilting her head, "Casey always wears pants, and she always has her hair tightly up in a bun, and I've never seen Casey with a necklace."  
"Caitlyn, I am Casey."  
"I don't think so. Mommy! Jake! Theres a stranger at the door!" she shriekded.  
"Oh my god your like 11, stop screaming." Casey said holding her ears. Julie and Jake arrived at the door,"Please tell her who I am."  
Julie walked away, while Jake put his arms around her waist, "I don't know you, you stranger, who are you?"  
Casey hit him in the shoulder, "Jake seriously, she doesn't recognize me."  
"Okay, Jake mom says not to talk to strangers and your like giving her a hug."  
"Hey squirt, it's Casey from next door, now go make yourself scarce."  
Caitlyn shook her head, "Jake she really doesn't look like Casey."  
Both Casey and Jake groaned, walking into the house past her. Casey walked into Jake's room and took a look around, everything was organized and clean. He had a futon for a bed, at the moment he had it folded up. Casey flopped down onto it, "So...Guess what?"  
"What?" he asked sitting next to her.  
"Summer and Seth slept together."  
"What?"  
Casey nodded, "Yeah, do you know if she and Hammer are over at the Roberts house?"  
"We could call Rissa's cell." Jake said.  
"Go get the phone." she said, Jake got up and went in whatever direction they kept the phone.  
"Jake dear?" Julie said walking into the room.  
"Um he went to get the phone." Casey said.  
"Oh, right...well I guess this will give us a chance to chat." Julie said.  
"Um okay, about what?"  
"This little hold you have over Jake and Marissa."  
"Excuse me?"  
"Oh don't play dumb with me Casey, I know all about you, and your family, and that boy who lives with you."  
"My brother, Ryan?"  
"Brother?" Julie asked skeptically, "I'm sure. I told my ex-husband that I didn't want my children around you Cohen's, but then Marissa left and Jake became totally smitten with you, but it won't last, believe me, soon you will all be out of my life."  
"I got it!" Jake said entering his room with the phone, "Oh hey aunt Jules."  
"Hello Jake, I was just seeing if Casey needed anything."  
"Yeah and I was just telling her that I don't need anything, I'll be around for a while but she doesn't need to worry, I won't be in her life... you know the cereal." Casey said looking strait at Julie, they both fake laughed.  
"Yeah...okay." Jake said, confused.  
"Bye Julie." Casey said.  
"I'll see you around Casey." Julie said.  
"What was that about?" Jake asked.  
"Nothing, call Summer." Casey said looking in the direction Julie had left.

Please review. Okay this chapter blew chunks! I am totally ashamed of it, but whatever. Next chapter I'm gonna address the Seth/Summer and Ryan/Marissa relationships at the kickoff carnival. I'm planning on doing a chapter devouted to just Casey, Seth, and Ryan, I think. I really like the chemistry I've created between the boys and Casey, it really is like they are all best friends/siblings. Now I have a question, who likes Jake? If you dislike him tell me why and what I can do to change him to better suit the storyline, cause I don't feel like I've completly defined him yet. Oh and Anna is going to be VERY out of charactor, just bracing you guys for it. Oh yeah and that whole nun shirt thing is real. That actually happened where a girl was telling me that she was gonna wear it to work because nuns are always there.  
-Em


	18. Chapter 18

Casey and Summer sat in a booth at the diner stareing at one another. Jake and Marissa had "wanted" to take a quick walk while Summer and Casey talked. So far neither had said a word.  
"So..." Casey began.  
"So..." Summer repeated.  
"You and my brother..."  
"I guess." Summer said thinking about it.  
"Look, all I wanna say is, your my friend, he's my brother...I just want you both to be happy."  
Summer nodded, "Thanks Casey. I thought you were gonna kick my ass when you told Jake that he wanted to take a walk with Marissa."  
"No, if I kicked your ass, who would I watch The Valley with?"  
"Seth. No really, I made him watch an episode the other night. That's when I knew I liked him." Summer said sheepishly.  
"I thought Anna was the reason you invited him over." Casey said confused.  
"Well she is why I invited him, she was about to have him over to look at her Tahiti pictures! I didn't want him over there, I wanted him with me, and thats when I realized I kinda always want him with me, not another girl, just me..."  
Casey grinned at her, "Your gonna make an awsome sister in law."

Seth and Ryan had gotten hungry about an hour after Casey left, so Ryan grabbed his bike, and Seth grabbed his skateboard and the headed for the boardwalk, running right into Marissa and Jake.  
"Hey I thought you were with Case?" Ryan questioned.  
"Yeah but she told me I wanted to take a walk." Jake said.  
"Me too." Marissa said.  
"Where is she?" Seth asked, picking up his skateboard.  
"In the diner with Summer."  
"Is your walk done yet?"  
"I have no idea." Jake said, checking his watch he pulled out his cell phone, put it on speakerphone, and dialed Casey's number, "Hey, is my walk done?"  
"Well I don't know sweetie your the one who wanted to take a walk." Casey said.  
"Case, can we come into the diner?" Seth asked.  
"Is that Cohen?" they heard Summer ask.  
"Yeah, you guys come on and eat we ordered pancakes."  
"Kay see ya in a sec." Jake said hanging up.

"So what kinda pancakes did you order?" Seth asked as Casey made room for him next to Summer and herself.  
"Chocolate chip. How did you guys get here? I thought dad needed the car."  
Ryan nodded, "He did. I rode my bike and Seth, his board."  
"What about me?" she asked.  
"We know how you got here, I drove you." Jake said.  
Ryan held up his backpack to Casey which she opened to reveal her rollerblades, she grinned, "I love my boys."  
"Back at ya sis." Seth said picking up a fork and stealing some of Summer's pancakes.  
Summer smacked his hand playfully, "Cohen!"  
"I'm hungry."  
"Order you own." she said.  
"But yours are right in front of me." he said taking another piece, to which she squealed, "Cohen!"

It was the night of the big carnival. Seth and Summer hadn't realy discussed their relationship yet, Ryan and Marissa were still weird and flirty around each other, but were getting ready for their first date. Casey was fed up with the four of them and Jake had been scolding her not to mess with fate, while he remembered that it was all six of thier first dates, since he and Casey had never officailly 'gone out', while Casey was pretty oblivious.  
Casey flopped down on Ryan's bed, as he tried to pick out a shirt, she groaned as he pulled of yet another one, "Just pick one!"  
"Look, Case this is my actual first date, can you let me stress about it, please?"  
"This is your first date?" Seth asked walking into the pool house with about 10 shirts in his arms.  
"Well yeah, I mean, I've been with..." he trailed off, eyeing Casey as if asking permission to continue in front of her, she shrugged her shoulders, "...I've had a few girlfriends before but we never really went out anywhere if you know what I mean."  
Seth nodded, and held up a stripped shirt to Casey, "What do you think?"  
Casey screamed into Ryan's pillow, "What is the big deal you two? It's just as date with two girls that like you. Seth is this even a date for you and Summer? Did you even ask her?"  
"I figured it was implyed, cause after we did...ehem...stuff today I said I'll see you at the carnival, so...I think so. And besides you and Jake are going, why aren't you more obsessive about every detrail like us?"  
"Why would I be?" she asked cluless.  
"Case, Seth and I are stressing because we are going on dates with beautiful girls for the first time, you are going out with Jake tonight... you understand our point?" Ryan asked glancing at her.  
Casey paused, then shot up, "Oh my God! I have a date! With Jake!"  
"There she goes." Seth said patting his sisters head.  
"What am I gonna wear? You can't just wear plain clothes on a first date can you? But you can't wear a skirt to a carnival!" Casey asked and complained and pushed Ryan out of the way of the mirror.  
"Um, ow." he said having fallen to the floor.  
"Oh suck it up Mary." she said flipping out, "I look good right?"  
"If I say yes, will you relax?" Seth asked grabbing her shoulders, she nodded, "Then yes."  
They heard a horn beep.  
"That's Jake." Ryan said.  
Casey took a deep breath, "Let's go."

Jake casually draped his arm around Casey, "So where to first?"  
"How 'bout the roller coaster? Anyone up for it?" Casey asked the other four.  
"No." Ryan said immeadiatly.  
"Why not?" Marissa questioned.  
"I just don't really like heights and stuff."  
Casey giggled, "Your scared of heights?"  
"So , your scared of spiders." Ryan said.  
Casey stopped laughing, "Height can't eat me!"  
"Neither can spiders." Ryan said flatly.  
"Yeah that's just what they want you to think." she said leaning on Jake.  
"Yeah didn't you hear Ryan? Spiders are like these evil genuis masterminds that have it out for Casey." Seth said, as he walked right into Luke, "Oh...um sorry man."  
Luke shook his head, "No big. This place looks really good, Maris."  
"Thanks." Marissa grinned.  
Ryan slipped his hand out of Marissa's not liking the vibes he was picking up, "Um, you guys catch up I'm gonna go get us some drinks, you want anything?"  
Marissa shook her head. Ryan walked in a diffrent direction. Casey watched him go, as Jake leaned foward to kiss her cheek, "Go."  
She smiled at him, "Thanks, I'll be like two minutes." he nodded, Casey ran up and punched Ryan on the shoulder, "What the hell is wrong with you?"  
"What?" he asked.  
"Your on a date with her, remember? She's not into Luke."  
"What are you talking about?"  
"Ryan, I know you remember?"  
"Okay but what if they are one of those couples that break up and then get back together over and over again?"  
"What if they're not?" Casey chalenged, "She likes you dude. Even if she and Luke are one of those couples, your what she wants right now. Don't you think she's worth it?"  
Ryan paused before taking off running in the direction that the other four were headed, Seth and Summer had just gotten on the ferris wheel, Marissa and Jake were about to get on when Ryan grabbed Jake's arm, "Hey man you mind?"  
Jake shook his head, "She's all yours."  
Jake walked over to Casey's side, Anna came up next to them, "They seem like they need to talk." Anna commented.  
Casey looked at her and nodded lightly. Anna walked over to the person operating it and slipped him a 20. When Ryan and Marissa and Seth and Summer were at the top the ferris wheel stopped.  
"Whoa what did you just do?" Casey asked Anna.  
"I paid the guy to stop the ferris wheel, so they could have some alone time."

Meanwhile up on the ferris wheel, as it stopped Marissa looked around confused while Ryan closed his eyes and held on tightly. Marissa looked down and Jake waved to her, she grinned and leaned foward waving back.  
"Okay, okay, now your shaking us. What kind of carnival is this Cooper?"  
"Are you okay?" she asked bemused.  
"Yeah, yeah it's cool. I have to tell you something."  
"Okay."  
"I don't talk...alot...about things..."  
"Yeah I kinda got that." she said.  
"I really actually like you, and thats something new to me...so if I act weird or do the wrong thing, I'm gonna have to ask you not to hold it against me. Cause as a rule I don't trust people, but you...your diffrent." he said still not opening his eyes. Marissa smiled and leaned in to kiss him.

"Why did we stop?" Summer asked Seth worriedly.  
"I don't know, maybe somethings malfunctioning." he said, she moved closer to him, taking his hand and holding it tightly.  
"Cohen?"  
"Yeah?"  
"You don't think we're gonna like die or anything right?" she asked looking down.  
Seth laughed lightly, "No. I don't think we'll die Summer."  
"Don't laugh at me."  
"I'm sorry." he said looking at he said looking directly into her eyes.  
"Cohen...what is this...this thing between us? What we did...and keep doing? Are we like just sex buddies or...what?"  
"Summer...I..." Seth paused then shakily stood up.  
"Cohen! What are you doing?" she panicked, it was a long way down if Seth wasn't careful.  
"Everybody! Hey Everybody! Listen to me! I Seth Cohen love Summer Roberts very much! I always have and now I'm going to ask her to be my girlfriend!" He turned back to Summer, "Summer, will you be my girlfriend?" Summer was smiling so big she thought she might cry, she nodded, pulling him closer to kiss him, "Wait." he said then stood up again, "She said yes!" he yelled, recieving a yell of excitment from his sister down below.

"Oh look Ryan and Marissa are still kissing." Casey said.  
"So are Seth and Summer." Jake said peering up. Anna walked by them quickly. "Huh I actually do feel bad for her."  
"I do feel bad for her, a little bit." Casey said holding her side for a second.  
"What's wrong?" he asked putting his hand on hers.  
"I don't know, it's just a small pang, I guess." she said before she passing out in his arms.

Oh a cliffhanger. Find out what happens to Casey next time. Please review. By the way, Happy Easter.  
-Em


	19. Chapter 19

Jake, Seth, and Summer rushed Casey to the hospital while Ryan and Marissa went back to tell the Cohen's.  
"Help! We need help!" Seth yelled as they entered the emergency room, Jake carrying Casey.  
"What happened?" a doctor asked approaching them.  
"She collapsed." Jake said, "We were waiting for her brothers to get off the ferris wheel and she said she felt pain in her side and she just fell."

"Sandy! Kirsten!" Ryan yelled running into the house.  
"Ryan?...Marissa? What is it?" Kirsten asked.  
"It's Casey. She collapsed at the carnival." Ryan said as Sandy entered the living room.  
"What?" Sandy asked.

"Okay Seth, Jake, just relax. She's gonna be okay." Summer said, her arms cradeling Seth's head close to her.  
"How can I relax? My sister passed out at a freaking carnival!" Seth yelled standing.  
"Cohen." Summer said soothingly putting her hand on his arm, "Sit down."  
Jake still hadn't said a word. He was sitting on the floor next to the chairs hugging his knees.  
"Kids." Kirsten said rushing in with Sandy, Ryan, and Marissa.  
"Mom." Seth said hugging her.  
"What happened? Where is she?" Sandy asked.  
"They haven't told us anything yet. She only just went in." Summer said.  
Seth returned to Summer's side, putting his arms around her shoulders. Ryan and Marissa sat down next to Jake. Marissa patted him on the shoulder, "Jake?"  
He looked up, "Yeah?"  
"Are you okay?"  
"I...I don't know." he answered truthfully.  
"Okay, apparently she has appendicitis." Sandy said as he and Kirsten returned.  
"Shouldn't that have had symptoms?" Ryan asked.  
"Well apparently she did, but they were mild, it still doesn't explain why she didn't mention it." Kirsten said.  
"Well you know Case." Seth said, "The only things she complains about are food, video games, and when Jake, Ryan, or I do something stupid."  
There was a short pause, then all of a sudden Ryan started chuckling, then Marissa and Summer let out a giggle, and Jake started laughing. Soon the whole group of them were laughing hard, and Kirsten started crying.  
"Kirsten?" Ryan asked.  
"She could have died." she explained, "If you all hadn't gotten her here in time, my baby...she could have..."  
The room fell silent again.  
"Way to kill the mood mom." Seth said.  
"I'm sorry." Kirsten said wiping her eyes.  
"He's not serious, Mrs. Cohen." Summer said pushing Seth into a seat, "Look you guys, my dad is a doctor here, I can call him down, if you want, and get him to find out what's really going on with Casey."  
"Oh would you Summer?" Sandy asked.  
Summer nodded, "We'll leave you guys alone and I'll go find my dad, come on Cohen." she said holding her hand out to him. Ryan, Marissa, and Jake followed.  
"Where is your dad?" Marissa asked slipping her hand in Ryan's.  
"I don't know yet. Let's find out. Um excuse me? My name is Summer Roberts, and I'm looking for my father,Dr. Neil Roberts." Summer said to the receptionist.  
"Um, I'm sorry unless it's an emergency, I can't just call Dr. Roberts down here." the woman said.  
"Well it kind of is, look if you just tell me where he is we'll go look for him." Summer said.  
"Um okay, he's on the fifth floor, go up there and ask the woman behind the desk tell her Jean Vanezia, sent you."  
"Thank you so much, come on guys." Summer said, leading them away.  
"She's gonna be okay." Marissa said putting a hand on Jake's arm.  
"I know." he said, "It's just...she was looking up at you guys and having a good time and then she just...she just passed out in my arms..."  
"Dad!" Summer yelled as they exited the elevator.  
Dr. Roberts looked up in shock at his daughter, "Summer? What's wrong is everything okay?"  
"No, daddy it's not. Casey, one of my friends is in here, her appendix is broken or something and no ones telling us anything and Mr. and Mrs. Cohen are down stairs waiting, can you help us dad please?"  
"Okay, okay, calm down. Come on." Neil said leading the five back onto the elevator.  
Seth squeezed Summer's hand.

"...so she had to have her appendix removed because of the risk, and now we're basically waiting for her to wake up." Dr. Roberts said an hour later.  
"But she will wake up right?" Summer asked worriedly.  
"Yes, she will." he said.  
"Can we go see her?" Kirsten asked.  
"Yes, go ahead in." he said, while Summer hugged him.

Summer, Seth, Jake, Ryan, and Marissa sat around Casey's bed. Kirsten and Sandy had gone to go talk to more doctors.  
"She looks so...not Casey-like." Seth muttered from the corner he was occupying.  
"Hey, don't talk like that she's fine, now. She's just sleeping." Marissa said.  
"My side hurts." Casey moaned after a few moments of silence.  
"Casey!" The five exclaimed rushing to her.  
"Ow, jeez guys, your crushing me." she groaned, "Where the hell am I?"  
"Your in the hospital." Jake said, being the only person who hadn't let go of her.  
"Why?"  
"You collapsed at the carnival..." Seth looked at his watch "12 hours ago."  
"Snap, seriously?" she asked.  
Her reaction to the whole situation made Jake, who had sat himself next to her on the bed holding her close, laugh, practically uncontrolably.  
"Dude, snap out of it." Summer said.  
"I'm sorry, it's just we've- the last twelve hours- I was so- and she's like 'snap.'" Jake barely got out.  
Casey tilted her head at him, "Are you gonna be okay?"  
"As long as you are." he said once he'd settled down.  
"So what happened to me? Why did I collapse?"  
"Your appendix almostburst. They had to remove it." Kirsten said rushing ino the room when she realized her daughter was awake. Jake moved off the bed to let her parents hug her. Once they were done he moved himself right back.  
"so am I okay now?" she asked a little concerned.  
"Your gonna be in time. But no school for two weeks." Sandy said sternly.  
"So we're not letting you off the couch, that whole time." Seth said motioning to Ryan and himself.  
"I don't need to be on the couch." Casey said.  
"Well that's too bad, then, huh? Cause you are." Ryan said.

Okay, I'm not a doctor. The whole two weeks rest thing, was actually what my friend did after she got her appendix removed, though. But I don't think it's manditory.  
-Em  
P.S. One more note. I'm not planning on watching The OC next season, because even if Marissa is my least favorite of the Core Four, she in my eyes is too important not to have. I don't believe there can be an OC without her. She is the one Ryan is supposed to be with. Seth said it best when he said to Summer, "It is you and me, and it is Ryan and Marissa." I love Taylor and Kaitlyn, but they won't be able to replace Marissa. So I might watch the first episode just to see what they are doing, but at this point I'm not planning on returning to next year full time. I'll continue my story for as long as I have material. (Which at this point is alot.) But I will not, repeat not, take the six of them to collage. I won't jump my own shark, so you can look foward to a while longer I think.  
-Em


	20. Chapter 20

Hey guys I'm just letting you know that my computer is being a bitch again and won't let me add the punctuation to certain sentances so sorry.

"Okay, I'm serious, guys. I don't need to be on the couch, it's been 3 days of nothing but sitting here. Can I please go back to school?" Casey begged.  
"No." Sandy, Kirsten, Seth, Ryan, Summer, Marissa, and Jake answered.  
"But, I'm bored." Casey pouted.  
"Put on a movie." Seth said.  
"What movie?" Casey whined.  
"The one that me and Ryan chipped in for cause we know it's your favorite and your miserable, which is making us miserable." Seth said handing her a special edition Gone With the Wind dvd.  
Casey shrieked, "Oh my god! I love you both"  
"We even got a box of tissues." Ryan said.  
"Oh! Come give me a hug." Casey said outstretching her arms.  
"So my little bad ass here has a sappy romantic side." Jake said reading the back of the box.  
"Shut up." she snapped, "So tell me what happened today"  
"Um, we had study hall with Anna. She seems to be avoiding us though." Seth commented.  
"Not that it's a huge loss." Summer muttered silently to Casey, who nodded.  
The door bell rang and Kirsten and Sandy got up to answer it.  
"Casey, you have a visitor." Sandy yelled.  
Casey paused then looked around, at her friends,"One, two, three ,four, five..." she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.  
"Hello." the visitor said.  
Casey jumped up from the couch, " The Nana"  
"Hello darling, Sethela." The Nana said beckoning Seth foward aswell.  
"Hey nana." Seth said hugging his grandma.  
"Sophie can we get you something to drink?" Kirsten asked.  
"Oh whatever your having is fine." The Nana said politely.  
Casey shot Seth a confused look, "What the hell?" she mouthed.  
He shrugged, "Um...Nana, these are our friends, Marissa, Jake, Summer, and Ryan. Guys this is The Nana"  
"Well now aren't you a nice looking group?" The Nana said. From behind The Nana, Casey looked at her in shock, and sent a look to her father, who shrugged, "Now, Ryan? You must be my new grandson"  
"Uh, yeah I guess." Ryan said.  
"So um... Nana what brings you to Orange County?" Casey asked.  
"Well, I'm here for you darling. When I heard what happened to my little Casadia, I grabbed the first plane out." The Nana said.  
"First plane?" Casey asked skeptially.  
"Casadia?" Jake and Ryan mouthed to each other.  
"Okay fine not the first plane. But what does that matter? I'm here for you darling." she repeated.  
"And was this plane filled with vallium?" Casey asked her mother and father on her way to the kitchen, "Who the hell is that"  
"Hey it doesn't matter." Kirsten said as Seth joined them, "That women, whoever she is, is sweet and nice and I'm just gonna say it, I love her"  
"Jeez mom, don't get all sappy. I'm just wondering what the hell is up with the Nana." Casey said.  
"Like your mother said it doen't matter right now." Sandy said, "Now we're taking my mother with us to get dinner. I asume Marissa, Summer, and Jake are staying"  
"Well you know what they say when you asume things..." Casey said.  
"Yes, they are." Seth said pushing his sister in the direction of the den.  
"Alright come on mom." Sandy said.  
"Be good, children." The Nana said.  
As they left the house Casey shuddered, "Who the hell was that"  
"Your grandmother?" Jake said.  
"No, Jake that women was not The Nana." Seth said.  
"Then why did you call her the nana?" Summer asked.  
"Well she is the Nana but she isn't." Seth said.  
"What Seth is trying to say is The Nana is not a sweet kind old lady. Sophie Cohen is a hard ass bitch." Casey said, "And I would like to know what happened to my role model"  
"Chilax, Case." Seth said.  
"Did you just tell me to 'chilax'?" Casey asked.  
"Yes I did." Seth said.  
"Why can't I have a normal brother"  
"You have me." Ryan said.  
"I said what I said." Casey answered, "Hey what time is it?" she added ducking as Ryan threw a pillow at her.  
"Just after six." Jake said.  
"What time do you guys have to be home?" Seth asked.  
"Aunt Julie won't know I'm missing. She's been really preoccupied lately." Jake said lost in thought for a second.  
"As long as me and Marissa are home before my dad, the step-monster won't notice." Summer said.  
"Cool." Casey said, wrapping her arms around Jake.  
"What are you doing?" he asked.  
"Preoccupiying myself on the couch"  
"Ew. As your brother it is my right to say ew." Seth said.

A few weeks went by, the Nana still sticking around the house driving Casey insane with all her cheeriness. Casey was alowed to go back to school, if she promised not to over exert herself.  
It was two weeks before Thanksgiving when Casey finally decided she couldn't take it anymore, she had to know what The Nana's problem was.  
"Don't do it." Jake said in a sing song voice as they laid on her bed.  
"Don't do what"  
"Whatever it is your thinking about doing?" he said.  
"How do you know I'm thinking about doing anything bad? Maybe I was thinking...'hmm Jake is kinda hot, maybe I should take him right here right now.'" she said.  
"I don't believe you"  
"Why not?" she asked sitting up.  
"Because I know you, and your not planning on having sex till your married." he said not even opening his eyes.  
"Well maybe I changed my mind"  
"Well did you"  
"No." she said.  
"Well then"  
"shut up." she mumbled, "And come on"  
They both left her room and headed down to the kitchen where Ryan and Marissa were.  
"Hey." Ryan said nodding at them.  
"What's up man?" Jake asked.  
"What's up with her?" Seth asked entering the room with Summer. He was directing the question to Jake about Casey who was sitting on the counter talking to herself.  
"She's plotting something stupid." Jake said.  
"Cool, I'm in." Seth said, "What are we doing"  
"Finding out what's up with the Nana." Casey said.  
"Okay...I'm out." Seth said.  
"No, your not. Your in, and we're going right now." Casey said hopping off the counter and grabbing Seth's hand. The others followed out of curiosity.  
"Grandma?" Casey called when they were in the living room.  
"What is it dear?" Sophie asked entering the living room with Sandy and Kirsten.  
"Can Seth and I ask you a question?" From behind Casey, Seth kept shaking his head and motioning 'no'  
"Sure, what is it"  
"What the hell is wrong with you"  
"Casey Elizabeth Cohen!" Kirsten cried.  
"What?" Sophie asked.  
"Why are you acting like this? This isn't you. I know you, your The Nana. The, take no shit from anyone, Nana. This isn't you." Casey said.  
"Casey that's enough." Sandy said. Casey held up her hands in mock surrender.  
"She's right." Sophie said.  
"What?" Sandy asked.  
"Casey is right. Something is wrong. I have cancer."

Okay sorry it's so short but I'm planning out how the rest of the story is gonna go. I already have alot of ideas. I finished two chapters that are no where near this one, because I had alot of inspiration. I have most of the chapters planned out in notes and stuff. Oh and I don't remember what The Nana had but for my story she has cancer.  
-Em

"What?" Casey choked out.  
"I have lung cancer." Sophi repeated.  
Casey walked out of the room, "I uh, I'll go." Jake said following her, "Case"  
"Can we get out of here? Take the car and go somewhere?" she asked.  
"Yeah...yeah sure."


	21. Chapter 21

"What?" Casey choked out.  
"I have lung cancer." Sophi repeated.  
Casey walked out of the room,

"Are you really just gonna avoid her?" Seth asked the next day.  
Casey had spent the night in the pool house, on the couch, "Yes, she'll be gone in a few days, and I have no interest in seeing her."  
"Case." Seth sighed.  
"Seth don't start, please." Casey said.  
"Okay but you know she'll be back in a few months. Dad invited her."  
"Whatever." Casey said getting up and heading out the door and through the fence to Jake's.  
"Hey." Jake said letting her into the house. Casey burst out into tears, "Come on let's get you inside."

"She's gone." Seth said entering Summer's room where Casey, Marissa, and Summer were all laying.  
"Good." Casey said.  
"She'll be back, for passover." he added leaning down to kiss Summer.  
"Damn." Casey said, "So what are you guys doing for Thanksgiving?"  
"Spending it with my mom, for some weird reason. Actually she wants to have dinner tonight at some fancy restaraunt." Marissa said, "She even invited my dad."  
"She invited my family too." Casey said.  
"Oh I wanna go." Summer pouted.  
"Wanna be my date?" Seth asked.  
"Cohen, you are so sweet." Summer said kissing him.  
" And with that I'm leaving." Casey said.  
"See ya at home Case."

That evening Casey, Ryan and Seth got all dressed up to attend dinner, with their significant others and their parents.  
"Hello." Jake greeted Casey with a quick kiss.  
"Hey, so any idea what all this is about?"  
"None whatsoever. All aunt Jules would say is that the Cohen's and the Cooper's were going to dine tonight in style, together." Jake said.  
"I guess I count as a Cohen." Ryan said.  
"You might as well call me a Cooper, I spent most of my life in their house." Summer said.  
"Cassandra, Seth." Caleb greeted his grandchildren as he took his seat next to Julie and Kirsten.  
"Grandpa's here?" Casey asked confused.  
Finally Jimmy had arrived and the whole party was present. After their first course, Marissa finally piped up, "Mom, what's going on?"  
"What- uh, what do you mean darling?" Julie asked.  
"Come on Aunt Julie, fess up." Jake said.  
"Juju bee, I think we better tell them." Caleb said taking her hand.  
"Cal." Julie said embarrassed.  
"Tell us what exactly dad?" Kirsten asked her voice squeaking slightly.  
"Julie and I are dating, we wanted to tell you our family." Caleb announced.  
"What?" the whole table minus Ryan, Summer, and Jake asked.

"I cannot believe him!" Kirsten exclaimed, throwing her purse down on the ground as she entered her house, Seth, Summer, Ryan, Marissa, Casey, Jake, Sandy and Jimmy in tow.  
"Calm down honey." Sandy said picking up the bag.  
"He's dating my boyfriends aunt! Do you know how gross that is?" Casey demanded.  
"Case." Jake started.  
"What is wrong with her? He's so...old." Marissa said, she glanced around, "No offense."  
"No, your right he is old. He's far to old for this nonsense." Kirsten said.  
"Dad?" Marissa asked turning to her father.  
"Yeah honey?"  
"I made up my mind, I wanna live with you."

I know it was a short chapter, but the next one will be longer. I just wanted to set stuff up for Thanksgiving. I don't think I'll put Anna in this unless I have a good story for her. Ryan will still go to Chino and Seth and Summer will still be making out in the pool house, but I'm not sure what everyone else is doing yet. Anyway please review.  
-Em


	22. Chapter 22

" mom-mom no-no recipes, put them away!" Seth cried. It was early Thanksgiving morning and he, Ryan, Sandy and Casey were all sitting around the kitchen trying to convince Kirsten not to cook.  
" this is Ryan's first thanksgiving in the house and we're gonna make this meal as a family." Kirsten said ignoring her sons pleas.  
"ah-ha ok seriously where's Rosa?" he asked following her around the kitchen.  
"No Rosa, just us as a family." Kirsten said, Casey pulled herself to sit on the counter, " I for one am ready for this challenge."  
"Dad!" Seth whined.  
"you sure you wanna do this honey?" Sandy asked after a long sigh.  
"Dad! Mom no. No! We are not ruining Thanksgiving!" Seth said loudly.  
"who said we are?" Kirsten asked.  
"I wait for this event every year mom, please thanksgiving is my favourite it's my favourite holiday, everyone knows this!"  
Ryan, looking to end this argument, and avoid Kirsten's cooking, said," my...family was never really into the holidays."  
"All the more reason to make this holiday special." Kirsten said, glancing around the kitchen, "are there pans, are there any pans anywhere?"  
"Not really inspiriing alot of confidence mom." Casey said from her spot on the counter.  
" do you know what I dream about when I dream about thanksgiving? which is-which is often, I dream about eating SO much deliciousness that all the blood rushes to my stomach and I pass out at the table," Seth pauses to hit the table dramatically, "please don't deny me that!"  
Ryan and Casey glanced at each other, Casey made a motion with her hand as if to say, 'go ahead', Ryan nodded and said to Seth, "That's just weird."  
"well I guess we should start with the turkey...uh...um" Kirsten akwardly holds the turkey up by the legs, "do I...uh?"  
"Aww, that's how she held the two of you when you were babies." Sandy said to Seth and Casey.  
"Sandy! um I guess we should just um start...basting?" Seth shots his sister a look that says 'do something'.  
Casey sighed and hopped off the counter, "Mom, why don't you let me baste?" she asked pulling the spices out of the cabinet.  
"That's a great idea." Seth said happily.  
"well, are you-are you sure?"  
"Of course she's sure, you know how much Casey loves to baste." Sandy said before Casey could change her mind.  
"ok well next up is cranberries."  
Ryan panicked and grabbed the cranberries, "I got it. I'm a big fan of the cranberry."  
"well then, I'll peel the potatoes." Kirsten said.  
"No, I've got it there's few things as therapeutic as peeling a potato, I'm sorry, mom, really I am." Seth said.  
"Stuffing?" Kirsten asked as she turned to find Sandy already prepping it, "So what am I supposed to do?"  
The phone rang and Casey helpfully piped up, "You can answer the phone."  
"Yeah theres and idea." Sandy said.  
"The Phones not gonna answer itself." Seth said.  
" hello...yeah I'll accept the charges...uh yeah he's uh he's right here, hol-hold on a second, uh Ryan it's your brother." Kirsten said, Casey, Sandy, Seth, and Ryan looked up suprised.

As Ryan reentered the kitchen, everyone tried to pretend like they hadn't been talking about him.  
"how's Trey?" Casey asked not avoiding the subject.  
"Ok... he was hoping I could visit him." Ryan said, Seth looked up from the potatos," You know holidays, he doesn't wanna be alone."  
"You gonna go?" Kirsten asked.  
"well it's only an hour away um I could help out here, go down be back by dinner." Ryan said.  
"Sounds like a fun roadtrip." Casey commented mixing the salt, pepper, and garlic together.

Ryan, Casey, and Seth were still cooking. Waiting for Summer, and Jake.  
"so you should probably be headin out soon." Seth said.  
" uh I gotta finish the stuffing, then there's the gravy and the candied yams."  
"Yea and then the hundred other things you could do around the house to stall." Casey said.  
" he's just gonna want something from me favor, money, something."  
"Or maybe he just wants to see his brother for Thanksgiving." Seth said.  
Ryan half laughs, "You guys don't know Trey."  
"Yea, well someone never talks about him." Casey said sitting on the table.  
"You do know we own chairs, right?" Seth asked.  
"You made a pact?" Kirsten asked entering the kitchen dragging Sandy.  
"I make lots of pacts, which one are we talking about?" Casey asked.  
"I'm not alowed to cook?"  
"Oh that one." Casey said snapping her fingers.  
"Casey, come on, why would you agree with them? They're boys, we women need to stick together. Don't let them talk you into it." Kirsten said.  
"Ma, she came up with the idea." Seth said ratting out his sister.  
The doorbell rang before anyone could say anything.  
"I got it." Kirsten said.  
Casey smacked Seth in the arm, "Ow hey you know I bruise like a peach."  
"hey, just wanted to stop by before I went to my moms." Marissa said, entering the kitchen with Summer and Jake.  
"Wheres you dad?" Sandy asked after kissing both girls on the cheek and shaking Jake's hand.  
"In the living room." she said and Sandy left the six teens alone to join his wife, and their guest.  
Casey pulled Jake closer by his wrist to see the time, "Hello to you too."  
"Hi." she said kissing him quickly then turning to Ryan, "You have to go if you wanna make it home for dinner."  
"Where are you going?" Marissa asked.  
"To see my brother."  
"Oh. Isn't he...?"  
"Yeah...but he called, wants me to drive down to visit him." Ryan said, he kissed Marissa, "Go have dinner with your mom, I'll see you when I get home."  
Casey kissed Jake, "Go have dinner with Julie and my grandpa. I'll see you later."  
"Okay bye." he said, "I'll meet you there." he added to Marissa.  
"Uh yeah." Marissa said as she watched Ryan head back out to the pool house, she headed for the front door.  
"Hey you think you could handle keeping mom out of the kitchen? The turkey only has another two hours covered, then you put it back in for the last hour uncovered." Casey asked.  
"I thought you were supposed to cook it uncovered, then cover it." Summer said.  
"Not the way I cook it. I cover it so it gets cooked, but not dryed out, then I uncover it so it gets crispy."  
"Oh the step-monster never cooks so-" Summer began but Seth cut her off.  
"Wait why are you telling me this? Can't you be doing it?"  
"No, I can't." she said slipping off her apron, "I'm going with Ryan."  
"Wait, what?"  
"He may say he doesn't want it, but he'll need the company." she said leaving the room.  
Seth sighed, and turned to Summer, "So... I know a pool house that's gonna be empty."  
Summer giggled as she followed Seth out the door.

"Hey, I'm getting ready to head out." Ryan said to Sandy and Kirsten.  
" just incase why don't ya take this?" Sandy said handing Ryan his cell phone.  
" and uh I have a little something for Trey ," Kirsten said walking over to the fridge and pulling out a pie. Ryan looked uneasily at it, "Don't worry it's store bought."  
Ryan grinned as she hugged him, "Thanks."

Ryan walked out the door pie and keys in hand. He opened the driver side door only to find his girlfriend in the passenger seat and his sister in the back, "What are you two doing?"  
"Felt like taking a road trip." Casey said.  
"Yeah we both decided to go with you." Marissa said matter-of-factly, Ryan raised his eyebrows at her, "My mom said it was okay."  
"she did?"  
"Yeah, well what with this whole dating my friends grandpa, she's trying to stay on my good side."  
"I don't know." Ryan said looking at both of them.  
"Yeah well we do. Just get in the car." Casey said.  
"What did Sandy and Kirsten say?"  
"Nothing cause I didn't ask." she said, "But they won't even notice. Jimmy is over and dads partner, Rachel will be over. Just get in the car." she repeated.  
Ryan sighed, "Fine."  
Casey grinned, "Road Trip!"

" hey little brother." Trey said as Ryan, Marissa, and Casey entered the visitors yard.  
"Hey Trey. Um this is Casey, and this is Marissa." both girls nodded at Trey.  
"Look we know you guys have alot to talk about so we'll be over here." Casey said pointing to a diffrent table.  
"look at you man." Trey said, "You show up with two hot chicks."  
Ryan chuckled slightly."sorry I haven't come by to see you."  
"you've been busy." Trey said, then glanced at the girls again, "Really busy."  
"Well Marissa is my girlfriend, Casey is the girl that I live with." Ryan said attempting to catch up with his brother, "So how've you been?"  
"you know...not so good..."  
Ryan sighed, knowing it was impossible for this to have just been a 'hey, happy thanksgiving, how ya doin?' visit, "What do you need?"  
And that's how Ryan found himself knocking on his old neighbors door, with Casey and Marissa in tow.

Meanwhile back at the Cohen's things were begining to get complicated, Julie, Caleb, and Jake were at the door looking for Marissa.  
"our caterer's truck broke down with our entire thanksgiving feast I wanted to tell Marissa that we're going out to eat." Julie said entering without actually being invited.  
"Mrs. C." Jake said, while nodding at her.  
"Hi, Jake. You guys do know that Marissa isn't here right?"  
"we could just eat here." Caleb said, "You don't mind do you Kiki?"  
"ha...no- no I don't mind." she said.  
"well I don't understand if Marissa's not here where is she, with Ryan?" Julie asked as they entered the kitchen, just as Seth and Summer did.  
"Mom, your very close to the food." Seth said.  
"Seth have you seen Marissa?"  
"Didn't she leave with Jake?" Summer asked.  
"No, I've been home for about an hour." Jake said glancing around, "Where's Case?"  
"She left with Ry, to keep him company."

"Ryan Atwood." the girl who answered the door said looking him up and down.  
"Theresa hi." he said, "Arturo in?"  
"your just gonna ask for my stupid brother, your not even gonna tell me where the hell you been for the last five months."  
"Uh yea, no." Ryan said.  
"I'm sorry to interrupt this little pow-wow, but I really have to pee. Theresa was it?" Casey asked, "Do you mind if I?"  
"Um, no, through that hall first door on your right." she said taken aback.  
"Thank you."  
"Well come on in." Theresa said to both of them. When Casey returned, Theresa asked Ryan, "Are you gonna introduce me?"  
"Uh Theresa this is Marissa, and Casey." Ryan said.  
"So which one of you is the new girlfriend?"  
"Ew!" Casey said, "That's all her."  
"Thanks Case." Ryan said.  
"Your my brother, it's like incest."  
"I didn't know you had a sister." Theresa said almost hurt.  
"No, I don't, I mean I do, but I didn't when I lived here."  
"I'm his new sister." Casey explained.  
"Wait new? So you and Ryan used to..." Marissa started remembering the origanal comment Theresa made.  
"Off and on. We grew up together, I was the girl next door." Theresa said.  
"So am I." Marissa said, looking at Ryan who was avoiding her eyes.  
"Yeah, so Arturo?"  
" yeah he's here." she turns and heads into another room.  
"Look I'll explain everything later." Ryan said to Marissa, he then turned to Casey and said, "Behave."  
" mom, look who I found." Theresa said leading the three of them in.  
"Little Ryan Atwood." Casey giggled, "where have you ben? I haven't seen your mom in a while."  
"Yeah me neither. Uh this is Casey and Marissa."  
"Hello girls nice to meet you." Theresa's mom said, "Have you heard from your brother?"  
"Well that's kind why we're here."  
"Your here for the car?" Arturo asked entering the kitchen.  
"Hey dude." Ryan said half hugging him, half shaking his hand.  
"Dude alert." Casey said jokingly. Ryan turned and glared at her, "What? I am behaving."  
"Arturo this is Casey." Ryan said, as Casey reached over and shook his hand.  
"Whats up?" Casey said.  
"and this is Marissa." Ryan said.  
"his girlfriend." Theresa said as if it needed clarification.  
"Come on man, let's go get it. It might take us a minute to get the engine started." Arturo said.  
"Alright, you two wanna come with us?" Ryan asked.  
"No, you go, we'll wait here." Marissa said.  
"You two can help us cook." Theresa's mom said as Ryan and Arturo left.  
"Great." Casey said, rolling back her sleeves.  
"mom don't ask them to help I'm sure they doesn't cook, they have maids for that." Theresa said.  
"Actually, I have been cooking since I was 4 years old. It's my mother who can't cook." Casey said, getting some bad vibes from Theresa.

About a half hour had passed, Casey had skinned potatos and taught Marissa how to mash them when Theresa wasn't looking.  
"Hey is this Ryan?" Marissa asked pointing to a picture on the fridge.  
"you mean snoopy, that's from the 8th grade musical, you're a good man Charlie brown. Theresa was peppermint patty." Theresa's mom said.  
"Whoa Ry, was in musicals?" Casey asked.  
"He was Snoopy?" Marissa asked giggling.  
"he was so talented." Theresa's mom said.  
"Him and Seth still haven't let me live down the Rome and Juliet thing, but he's off doing musicals?" Casey said.  
"Casey you ended Romeo and Juliet with foreplay with my cousin." Marissa said softly, so only Casey and Theresa, who was walking up could hear.  
"he quit when we got to high school."  
Marissa looked back at the fridge, "Wow, that's a really pretty dress."  
" yeah that's when me and Ryan went to the winter dance together last year that was a crazy night...we use to get into all kinds 'a trouble... he just left...you know that, he was there one day, next day his house was empty..." Theresa said.  
" I don't think he planned any of it." Marissa said.  
" he coulda called, you know someone your whole life, you grow up next to them, I guess I didn't know him at all." she said walking away.  
Casey looked out to Ryan, "I gotta go get the cell, to check on the turkey."  
Before Casey could leave Ryan walked in the door, "The cars running."  
"Good, I need the phone to call Se-" she got cut off by it ringing, Ryan showed her the caller id said 'Seth's Cell' as he went to answer it, "Hmmm, and now I need a million dollars... damn."  
"What are you talking about? Why would Summer break up with you? Anna?" Ryan said trying to understand Seth's rambling.  
"Anna?" Casey asked.  
Ryan nodded, "Look calm down and Casey, Marissa, and I will call you when were on the road and you can explain everything."  
"But Ry- Wait Marissa is with you guys?" Seth asked.  
"Yeah, why?"  
" uh just her moms here looking for her but just call me-call me back ok."  
"Yeah, I'll talk to you later." Ryan said glancing at Marissa.  
"Wait don't hang up that phone." Casey said grabbing it, "Please tell me that while your in whatever crisis your in, that your still keeping mom away from the kitchen?"  
"Come on girls." Ryan said to Marissa and Casey.  
" so how come you didn't tell me there was a Theresa?" Marissa asked, as they walked to the car.  
"how come you didn't tell me about your mom, me and her haven't been through enough your gonna put this on me to?"  
"I didn't put anything on you!" Marissa said, as Casey hung up th phone handing it back to Ryan.  
"Who do you think she's gonna blame?" Ryan asked.  
" I'll explain it to her." Marissa said.  
"I never should have brought you two with me." he said.  
"Hey." Casey grumbled, "I told you the truth, I didn't ask mom and dad, but they obviously haven't noticed."  
"Your not helping." Marissa said.  
"Sorry I try." Casey said.  
"Look we're not letting you do this alone." Marissa said.  
"so you're my wheel man now, just go back to Newport I'll take the bus." he said angrily.  
"Ryan!" Casey said.  
"Look, this is not a conversation, you two. Go home." he said turning his back to them.

"I'm leaving!" Summer yelled, entering the kitchen.  
"Summer, wait don't go!" Seth said.  
"this is your fault because you allowed her to go with Ryan!" Julie yelled, also entering the kitchen, the rest of the house in tow.  
"I didn't know she was going!" Jimmy yelled.  
"well that's encouraging!"  
"What kind of father doesn't know what his own daughter is up to?" Caleb asked.  
"Oh your not serious?" asked a drunken Kirsten.  
"I saw you kissing her!" Summer yelled at Seth.  
" I may be alot of things but never a bad parent." Caleb said.  
"destroyer of the environment." Sandy said.  
"tyrannical land baron." Rachel piped up.  
"you stay out of this. I don't even know what you're doing here." Julie said to Rachel.  
"oh she's our guest, unlike some people." Kirsten said pointedly.  
"oh so suddenly you have standards about who you let into this house." Julie said.  
"what does that mean?" Kirsten asked.  
"Marissa wouldn't be in Chino if she hadn't met someone from Chino!" Julie said.  
" Ryan's not the problem!" Sandy said.  
"your right it's the over zealous tree hugger that brought him in." Caleb said.  
"or the irresponsible parent whose to busy tryin'a get laid on thanksgiving." Julie said to Jimmy.  
"Well excuse me for trying to make up for lost time." Jimmy said.  
" well excuse me." Rachel said.  
"Sorry heat of passion." Jimmy said.  
"Don't expect to hear that very often." Julie said.  
"does anyone want another drink?" Kirsten asked.  
"Hey!" Jake yelled entering the kitchen, "Do you guys mind? I'm trying to cook here."

"You Ryan?" the guy who Ryan was dropping the car off to asked, "this is a hot ride I'll tell you that, hard to believe your brother could pull it off cause uh he's such a stupid son-of-a-bitch."  
"yeah well what'd you think?" Ryan asked.  
"what'do I think about what?" the guy asked shoving Ryan.  
"oh, is that the deal?"  
"that's what he told me." Ryan said.  
" huh, you fellas hear that? I've ben waiting six months for this alright and there's something called interest."   
" I don't have anything." Ryan said.  
"yeah well interest needs to be paid." the guy said and punched Ryan in the face.  
Ryan and the guys froze, as a car horn honked. Ryan looked up to see Marissa and Casey in the car, about 10 feet away. Casey opened the passenger door from her spot in the back, Ryan made a run for it while the other guys were distracted. As he dove into the car he yelled, "Go!" when they were far enough away he asked, " what the hell are you doin?"  
"We followed you." Casey said.  
Ryan paused and looked back out the window, "Good idea."

The argueing in the Cohen home still persists only Jake and Anna were added to it.  
"I am trying to rebuild a family Jimmy, and don't act so innocent!" Julie yelled.  
"Yeah, your rebuilding our family, without Uncle Jimmy!" Jake yelled.  
"I didn't kiss her she kissed me!" Seth said.  
"Oh yeah, sure!" Summer said.  
"You have never once had Thanksgiving over here but you 'll go to Julie Cooper's house." Kirsten said.  
"I have my work you know that." Caleb said.  
"So does she, but she still manages to make it home for dinner, every night." Sandy said.  
"Uh excuse me?" Rachel said.  
"What?" The whole room yelled at her.  
"I think dinner is..." she pointed to the smoking oven.  
"My turkey!" Kirsten said openeing the oven.  
"Come on Mom!" Seth said, as if it was her fault for touching the oven.  
"where are the take out menus?" Caleb asked.  
"I'll order." Anna piped up.  
"I think you've done enough." Seth said.  
"I'm leaving, Mr. Cooper tell Marissa I'll call her later, Jake tell Casey the same." Summer said grabbing her stuff.

" cars delivered, debts paid but I am never doing anything for you again you understand?" Ryan asked his brother.  
"I'm sorry man." Trey said.  
" I coulda been arrested, they coulda killed me." Ryan said.  
"yeah I know but I also know that no one else would'a done this for me but I get it we're done."  
"I- uh, I'll come visit you sometime." Ryan said.  
"Don't!" Trey said, "You have a chance here, little brother, you gotta leave me behind, leave all this behind."

"So that was Chino." Marissa stated.  
"Yeah."  
" I guess I never realised when you left, you left people behind." she said.  
"I never wanna do that again." Ryan said looking at both girls.  
"You won't have too." Marissa said leaning her head on his shoulder.  
"Yeah, Snoopy." Casey laughed from the back seat.

"Hey man, what are you doing?" Ryan asked entering Seth's room, with Casey and Marissa in tow.  
"Not lying here with Jake and Captain Oats, while drowning my sorrows over Summer, in grape soda." Seth said.  
"well looks like things went pretty well." Casey said sitting next to Jake.  
"yeah same for you. Nice shiner Ry." Seth said.  
"Have some food guys." Marissa said putting down the cartons they brought up.  
"hmm, I guess nothing says Thanksgiving like moo shoo pork, thanks..." Seth said.  
"So please, tell us what happened, to dinner? And why Summer isn't here anymore?" Casey asked.  
"Seth kissed Anna." Jake said.  
Casey gasped and started beating her brother with a pillow, "Ow! I didn't! I mean I did, but I didn't. She showed up here and kissed me! I pushed her away, but Summer walked in on it."  
"Sounds like we all had an interesting Thanksgiving." Ryan said.  
"Hey so guys, did you know that Ryan did musicals?" Marissa asked.  
And so Thanksgiving ended. Summer and Seth had broken hearts, Ryan had a black eye, Casey's turkey was ruined, Marissa's punushment, for skipping town for the day, had been undecided, dinner was ruined and the whole house was eating take out, Jake looked around the room once more and said, "Just like the Thanksgivings we used to have at Aunt Julie's."

Please review. Okay now I didn't go into the thing between Seth, Summer, and Anna for a reason. We'll go into more details in the next chapter when Seth tries to win Summer back.  
-Em


	23. Chapter 23

Hey guys sorry about the delay. I've been going through alot lately. My heart just got broken for the first time. I thought it had happened before, but now I know, nothing has hurt like this before. I hope to be back into my normal posting soon, it's just that happy stuff is really depressing me. But who was I kidding, I'm 17 years old I was not gonna get married in a few months, I'm not Haley James Scott.  
-Em 

"Summer, Summer, Summ, Summ, Summer." Seth said trying to get her attention away from his sister and on to him.  
"What do you want Cohen?" Summer asked finally.  
"You." he said.  
"Seth." she sighed, "Do you know how much it hurt, to see you kissing her?"  
"But Summer she kissed me." he said, as Casey excused herself and Jake, "It didn't mean anything."  
Summer looked at him, with the pain evident in her eyes, "A kiss always means something." and with that she walked away.  
"Summer..." he said.

"Hey Seth." Ryan said as Seth walked in the student lounge.  
"What's up big brother?" Casey asked.  
"It didn't mean anything to me." Seth said.  
"What didn't?" Marissa asked.  
"The kiss." Casey supplied hugging her brother, who looked like hell, "Hey Seth how bout this weekend we invite Summer over so the six of us can hang out and watch movies, no pressure or anything," "That sounds like fun." Anna said walking up next to the group.  
"Yeah, it does." Casey said, "Too bad I'm not inviting you."  
"Seth?" Anna pouted, "Tell Casey I'm your girlfriend now."  
"What?" Seth asked confused, "Your not my girlfriend."  
"We kissed." Anna said patting his head like she was teaching him something.  
"No. You kissed! You! You! You!" Seth said jumping up just as Summer entered the student lounge, "Summer!"  
"Seth." she said and continued over to the coffee cart.  
"Let me." Casey said standing to follow Summer, "Hey Summer."  
"Casey."  
"Do you wanna come hang out this weekend? No pressure, no strings, just the six of us hanging out watching movies. I'll make sure Seth doesn't bug you too much." Casey offered.  
"I don't know." Summer said paying for her coffee.  
"Please Summ, I'll be there, Jake and Marissa will be there, Ry will be the host cause we'll be in the pool house."  
"Well, if you promise you'll keep your brother in line." Summer said then she frowned looking in his direction, "That used to be my job."  
"Oh Summer." Casey said moving to hug her.  
"No, I'm fine." Summer said not wanting to break down in the student lounge.  
"Look, for what it's worth that kiss really didn't mean anything to him. I know you probably think I'm just standing up for him cause he's my brother but I'm not. I know that he truly doesn't want a relationship with Anna." Casey said before joining Jake on the couch.

"Shoulda seen by the look in my eyes baby..." Casey sang along softly, as Melissa Joan Hart danced with her dream boy.  
"I love this movie." Summer said.  
"It's on my top ten." Casey said, "And I'm gonna keep on loving you."  
"Cause it's the only thing I wanna do." Marissa and Summer joined in.  
"You know like every line to this movie." Jake said squinting his eyes at his girlfriend, "and every line to Fight Club."  
"Yep." she said squinting right back at him.  
"Has anyone ever told you, you're very strange?" he asked.  
"Only every day." she replied kissing him.  
"Okay next movie." Ryan announced, from his spot on the bed with Marissa.  
"Well Seth had Fight Club, Marissa picked Race for your life Charlie Brown, in honor of our Snoopy." Casey said pinching Ryan's cheek, "Jake picked Scream, and I had Drive Me Crazy, that leaves Ry and Summer."  
"Drop Dead Fred." Summer suggested.  
They all shrugged, and Seth reached for his dvds, accidently brushing Summer's arm as he passed.  
"sorry." he mumbled.  
"It's okay." she said softly.

By 4 in the morning they were all sound asleep. Marissa and Ryan cuddling together on Ryan's bed, Casey had her pillow proped in Jake's lap, and Summer had fallen asleep with her head on Seth's shoulder.

"...maybe you'll give us another chance?" Seth concluded.Summer paused in the middle of the school hallway, "Seth I don't know if I'm ready to be a couple again, and I don't know when I will be."  
"But you'll tell me, when you are?" he asked.  
"You'll be the first to know." she said honestly.

Monday started out as any normal school day for the six of them in study hall. Seth begging for Summer back, Jake and Casey playing cute little hand games, and Ryan and Marissa making out. the teacher hadn't arrived yet and only a few kids were there so far. Anna Stern walked in the room. That's when it happened.  
The noise of the gun shot startled them all. Ryan knew the sound and yelled for everyone to get down. The only person that remained standing was the one with the gun. Anna.  
"Everyone except Seth, Summer, Casey, Ryan, Marissa, and Jake get out." she said calmly. The frightened teens didn't need to be told twice.  
"And tell everyone to stay out of this room." she said.

Please review.  
-Em


	24. Chapter 24

"Anna, what are you doing?" Casey asked as the six of them stood up against the far wall, Jake having moved directly in front of her.  
"Shut up Casey." Anna said taking a deep breath, "It's all your fault!"  
"What is?" Ryan asked.  
"All I wanted was to fit in here, and then I met Seth and he listened to Death Cab and he reads comic books and he loves to sail. We were gonna get married. But then you sent him up on that ferris wheel with Summer Roberts." When Anna said her name she pointed the gun directly at Summer. Seth immediatly moved in front of her. 

"Honey what do you say you skip that meeting you have?" Sandy asked his wife kissing her.  
"I'd say that sounds like a great idea." Kirsten said.  
As they both leaned in to kiss again the phone rang, Sandy reached for it, "Hello? What? We'll be right there."

"What do we do?" Casey whispered to the other five.  
"We do nothing." Ryan said firmly, "We wait for the police to come."  
"The police can't even enter the building til they know if she's alone or if theres... others." Casey said.  
"What are you whispering about?" Anna asked.  
"Whether or not your the only gun person in the school." Casey said.  
"Casey!" Seth said.  
"What?" she asked.  
"Anna has a gun, and she doesn't really look all that afraid to use it and she has something against you, so I suggest you shut the hell up right now." Seth practically yelled at his sister before reaching out and taking her hand in his own.  
"I'm not scared of her." Casey said softly.  
"Well I am." he said.  
"What do you think Casey? You think I"m the only person in this whole school that has been alienated or picked on or just has had a really bad week?"

"Julie!" Kirsten called as she spotted the red haired woman.  
"Kiki! Oh god! My little girl is in there." Julie said through her tears.  
"I know Julie, Seth, Casey, and Ryan are in there too."  
"There gonna be okay right? I mean they're gonna all come out okay?"  
"Of course they are." Kirsten said.

"Why would you kiss me?" Anna asked Seth.  
"You kissed me." Seth said after a moment.  
"Don't! Don't say it like that. You don't get to say it like you weren't there! Like you didn't kiss me back." Anna said, now directing the gun at Seth.  
"Anna please." Summer whimpered.  
"You know what's wrong with this world?" Anna asked, "Girls like you, Summer. They have everything they could possibly want and yet they still complain."  
"No, you wanna know what's really wrong with this world Anna, is girls who get rejected by guys they like so they bring guns to school and start threatening everyone." Casey said.  
"Shut up Casey." Anna said.  
"No, look Anna so Seth doesn't want you, is that really so bad? I mean come on I live with the guy, he's a slob." Ryan said.  
"Dude." Seth said hurt. Summer elbowed him.  
"But he's perfect." Anna said.  
"Believe me Anna he's not." Casey said.  
"Anna just give yourself up before anyone get's really hurt." Marissa said pleadingly.

"Are we really just supposed to sit and wait here while our kids are locked in the school with some psyco and a gun?" Sandy demanded to know.  
"Sandy please." Kirsten murmered, as she rubbed Julie's shoulder.  
"I don't... I don't even know what Marissa was wearing this morning." Jimmy muttered.

"You think this is some game, Anna? You think Seth is just gonna say okay I'll date you and then we can all leave?" Casey asked.  
"Case." Ryan said.  
"No, she held a gun on me, I'm not gonna lie and sugar coat it for her." Casey said pushing Jake so he wasn't in front of her anymore.  
"God, why are you so much like dad?" Seth said aloud.  
"Look just tell me this Anna, why did you bring a gun to school and lock us in this classroom with you?" Casey asked ignoring Seth.  
"Because I want to make you pay." Anna said angrily.  
"For what?" Casey demanded, "What did we do to you?"  
"You didn't like me."  
"Bull shit, we played video games last week in the student lounge, you beat Ryan, not hard but still." Casey said.  
"Thanks Case." Ryan mumbled. Casey threw him an "are you serious?" glance.  
"You don't want Seth to date me, and that's why he won't!" "Okay, so it's not them you want." she started.  
"Casey." Ryan hissed knowing where she was going with this.  
"So let them go. Keep me." she finished ignoring Ryan.  
"Casey!" Seth, Ryan and Jake all yelled.  
"No I want you and Summer." Anna said pointing the gun at Summer again.  
"...So keep us both." Summer said, after a short pause.  
"Summer." Seth said in a warning tone.  
"Yeah." Anna said thoughtfully to herself, "Both of you."  
"We're not leaving them." Jake said.  
"Oh I think you'll do what I say." Anna said pointing the gun at him.  
It was now Casey's turn to step in front of Jake putting her hands protectively over his chest, "Anna please, let everyone else go. Don't hurt him."  
"Casey stop it." Jake hissed at her.

"Look!" Julie yelled spotting Ryan, Seth, Marissa, and Jake walking towards them.  
Sandy and Kirsten embraced Seth and Ryan immediatly.  
"Oh Marissa, I was so worried." Julie said hugging her daughter close.  
"Really?" Marissa asked.  
"Of course." Julie said, not letting her go.  
"Where's Cassandra?" Caleb asked, having shown up twenty minutes earlier.  
"Anna sent us out. But she kept Casey and Summer." Seth said.  
"What?" Kirsten demanded.  
The group turned back to the school, worried expressions on everyones face.

"Okay so let's talk girl friends." Anna said mockingly.  
"Look Anna you can point that thing anywhere you want, we're not scared of you." Casey said.  
"Oh really?" Anna asked, pointing the gun directly at Casey's chest.

The group outside all heard the shot fire. The police around scrambled trying to make contact with the others inside.  
"Casey." Kirsten cryed, unsure of her daughters fate. Jake was a complete wreck unsure if his girlfriend and close friend were safe, and feeling completely useless. Ryan was wishing they hadn't come to school that morning, but rather had stayed in bed as Casey had suggested, as he wrapped his arms around Marissa who couldn't stop crying. Seth stood suddenly.  
"What are you doing man?" Ryan asked, Seth's determined look mirroring the face Casey had been wearing when she told Anna to let the four of them go.  
"I'm going back." he whispered to his three friends.  
"Seth no." Marissa said.  
"I have to." he said, "This is all my fault maybe if I can talk to Anna she'll let them go, if she hasn't already..." he trailed off not wanting to finish the thought.  
"No." Ryan said.  
"We'll cover for you." Jake said, "Just make sure you get them out of there safely."  
"I'll do my best." Seth said not wanting to think about the sound they had all heard just moments before.

"Scared yet?" Anna asked, as the two girls huddled together on the ground.  
"As if." Summer said, "You just fired a blank."  
"I don't know what you want from us Anna. What? Do you like wanna be us?" Casey asked.  
"I want Seth, and I want you, Casey to be my best friend, and I want Summer to be the maid in the big house Seth and I are gonna have. She'll clean up after our cats."  
"Anna, Seth hates cats, they freak him out. Cause like they always stare off into space at nothing." Summer said. "He thinks they're looking at ghosts."  
"Shut Up!" Anna groaned, "I love cats, and so will he." She started actually loading the gun.  
"Anna! Geez! Stop this crap. You can't threaten to kill us then expect my brother to still love you." Casey said.  
"God Casey!" Anna said annoyed, "Look I already loaded the gun, you just watched me. I have no problems shooting you."  
"Then why don't you do it and stop talking about it." Casey said ignoring Summer's protests and standing.  
"Maybe I will." Anna said, then paused and started laughing as if she'd had a stroke of brillance, "No, you know what I'm gonna shoot you." she pointed at Summer.  
"What? No, me not her." Casey said.  
"Stand up." Anna said to Summer. It was clear to both of the girls that the tension in the room had changed. Summer jumped up, "Now walk over there." she gestured about five feet away from Casey.  
Summer took a deep breath and hugged Casey, "Summ, don't..." Casey trailed off not really sure what to say.  
"Casey tell Seth that I forgive him." Summer said closing her eyes. She braced her self for what she knew was coming as the gun went off, but for some reason it didn't. She opened her eyes again, "Another blank?" But the sight in front of her suggested otherwise.  
There laying in pain was Seth, blood pouring from his arm, and to the other side of the room she saw Casey had tackled Anna to the ground kicking the gun a good ten feet away.  
"Seth!" Summer said falling to the floor next to him, "What? What happened? Did you... did you take a bullet for me?" Tears were at this point filling her eyes.  
Seth gave her a loopsided smile, "So, you forgive me huh?"  
"Seth!" she said, hitting him."Ouch!" "Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" she said bending down and kissing him.  
"Wow, getting shoot in the arm was totally worth this." Seth said one hand on his wound. 

Okay I'm not sure if I like the full result I got from this but... well what are you gonna do? Please review.  
-Em


End file.
